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Alcazaba

Diputación de Málaga
Alcazaba de Málaga Oeste

Alcazaba

C/ Alcazabilla 2
Zip Code 29012
Archaelogical Sites > Roman Town

PERIOD 11th - 15th century

In the second half of the 9th century, Mālaqa gained importance, but it was not until the 11th century that the Alcazaba became an exceptional fortified palace. In 1296, improvements were made to the Alcazaba walls, and the construction of Gibralfaro was started.

DESCRIPTION

The Alcazaba de Málaga (from the Arabic al-Qasba, قصبة, meaning “urban fortress”) is a palatial fortification from the Muslim era that was built on top of an earlier fortification of Phoenician-Punic origin.

This impressive building, built mostly in the 11th century, was the palace-fortress of the city’s governing Muslims. Being built on the slopes of the mount of Gibralfaro, it perfectly adapts to the relief. Two walled areas form it. The Lower Precinct contains a vast space that follows the topography of the hill and surrounds the Upper Precinct completely, which houses the Palace and also adapts to the lines of the mount while including strong defensive elements at each end. Adjacent to the entrance of the Alcazaba stands the Teatro Romano (Roman Theatre), both boasting a privileged location in the heart of the city. Visitors can take a lift to the Alcazaba from Calle Guillén Sotelo, behind the Town Hall.’

The material used in the construction was mostly fossiliferous limestone, which decomposes quickly. In result, the Alcazaba has been restored on numerous occasions throughout its history. The most important of these—documented in chronicles— was carried out during the period of the Taifa Kingdoms by Badis, Ziri King of Granada between 1040 and 1065. During this reconstruction, the structure was strengthened and extended to such a point that many authors have named Badis as the one responsible for the whole construction. Most of the Palace belongs to the 14th century, very much rebuilt in the 1930 restoration.

ABOUT THE SITE

One of the first to research this monument, Professor L. Torres Balbás, describes imprisonment fortifications that were joined to the city walls, as well as the Puerta de la Bóveda Vaída (Gate of the Sail Vault), which was built in a bend in the wall to increase its defensive properties, and the Puerta de las Columnas (Gate of the Columns), which used Roman shafts and capitals as construction materials to form a beautiful arch.

The First Walled Area:

Also known as Lower Precinct, it is accessed through the Puerta del Cristo (Gate of Christ), so called due to it having been used as a chapel for many years. This vast space boasts outstanding features including the bastion for the defence of the south-facing coastline, and the tower, which gives access from its eastern side to the fortified path that connected the fortress to Gibralfaro. From the second viewpoint, the highest, we get a good view of all the lower defensive area and, toward the interior, of the so-called Torre de los Abencerrajes (Tower of the Abencerrajes) or Torre del Socorro (Tower of Relief) with the gate giving access to the Coracha (fortified walkway).

The Second Walled Area:

The Second Walled Area (or Upper Precinct)—also well adapted to the terrain—has strong defensive elements at each end: to the west by the Puerta de los Cuartos de Granada gate (Gate of Quarters of Granada), which is the only access point and has been restored many times, and to the east by the Torre del Homenaje (Keep), which has been consolidated in the semi-ruinous state in which it now stands today.

Palace:

In the interior of this last area stands the Palace, part of which has been dated as 11th century, the rest pertaining to between the 13th and 14th century, whilst there is an interesting group of houses that date back to the 11th century.

The Palace occupies three consecutive patios: the first, called Patio de los Surtidores (Courtyard of the Jets of Water), has a line of horseshoe arches which give onto a room that, in turn, accesses a 16th-century tower, with a Mudejar style interlacing structure roof and the Torre Maldonado (Maldonado Tower), with its beautiful original marble columns, which constitutes a splendid viewpoint over the city.

The Patio de las Naranjos (Courtyard of Orange Trees) and the Patio de la Alberca (Courtyard of the Pool) are accessed through a reconstructed section, and these, in turn, give access to the group of living quarters mentioned above.

Barrio de Viviendas (Neighbourhood of Dwellings):

At the highest end of the fortress and totally surrounded by walls lie the vestiges of an 11th-century neighbourhood formed by five small blocks of nine small houses and paved streets, with no other buildings constructed on top of them. The area is bordered by two narrow streets that separate it from the walls, forming a wall-walk.

It is a perfect example of the advanced degree of civilisation achieved by the Islamic urbanism of those times, with streets following straight lines, bent entrances, houses full of intimate spaces built around a central courtyard, very well organised, with independent sanitation, and rainwater collection that drained into culverts, which also collected waste from toilets and evacuated everything outside the enclosure.
The Barrio de Viviendas is completed by a small bathing area, next to the larger houses, with all necessary services, woodshed, boiler, toilet and the bathing room itself, which must have been supplied by water from the cistern that is next to it.


HOW TO FIND IT

Address: CL ALCAZABILLA 2,  29012  Málaga
Telephones:
     Oficina: 630932987
     Centralita: 952227230

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