This web page uses its own cookies and the third-party cookies to collect the information which help us make the service as good as possible. By no means is our intention to use it for gathering personal data.

Cookies policy

History of El Borge

Diputación de Málaga
Detalle de fuente, el Borge. Axarquía

History of El Borge

The Arabic origin of this village is obvious from an ethnological study of its name; Al Borg, although little is known as to the history of the municipality. What is known is written certain chronicles that date from the era of the Christian occupation, which state that there was a group of Moors there who managed to resist the Christian pressure

When the uprising of the Moors began in the Axarquia region, El Borge soon gained fame as a particularly rebellious focal point by the Christian conquerors. The rebels finally sought refuge in the Alpujarras Mountains and were aided by fellow rebels in the area. It was thanks to the Chief Magistrate Don Álvaro de Zuazo who decided to end the resistance at El Borge and sent a full garrison of men to El Borge to do just that.

One of the most important people that stands out in the village’s 17th century history was Martîn Vázquez Ciruela who was born there. He was considered to be one of the most brilliant theologians in King Felipe 4th’s Court and he went on to teach Humanities to some of the royal family members. He started out his career when still in El Borge and used to share his reflections in the church named, Nuestra Señora del Rosario, a good example of a Gothic-renaissance building from the beginning of the XVIth century.

However, even more infamous yet was the figure known as El Bizco de El Borge. The inhabitants of this village have revised all the history surrounding this infamous bandit and they have made the most of it. They have even gone as far as to make him a symbol by which outsiders may recognise the village. Today, the village is going through a process of economic diversification in which the vine is a vital element. The village’s wines and raisins are also famous, however, the small textile sector and tourism are also growing industries.