Founded by the Phoenicians in the VIII century. BC, Malaga is one of the oldest cities in the Old World. The past merits and regalia remained in the past: the city was a federation of the Roman Empire, four times became the capital of the Muslim state of Taifa Malaga, the first in Spain to survive the industrial revolution and the bloody Civil War. Now the question of travelers, what to see in Malaga and what it is famous for, is answered by numerous travel agencies that annually receive hundreds of thousands of guests from around the world. The resort offers to get acquainted with museum expositions, visit a bullfight, look at architectural sights, the earliest of which date back to the 1st century. n. NS.
The beach season in and around Malaga starts in mid-May and lasts until the end of October. The sea remains warm enough even in winter, and therefore tourists can be found in Andalusia throughout the year.
TOP 10 attractions of Malaga
Alcazaba
The old fortress of Malaga was built by the Arabs, who owned the Iberian Peninsula for many years. The citadel was founded in the 8th century, but the main construction work began in the 11th century. The fortress is considered one of the best preserved in Spain. During its construction, Arab builders used stones from the nearby Roman amphitheater.
The Alcazaba, as the fortifications are called in Spain, rises on a hill in the historic part of Malaga. It consists of two rows of fortified walls that were previously connected to the city walls. The road to the fortress climbs the hill and winds through the picturesque gardens, decorated with fountains.
The Museum of Archeology was opened on the territory of the fortress. Tourists can visit the Palace, which served as the residence of the governors of Malaga. The premises and structures inside the Alcazaba were built between the 11th and 14th centuries.
Gibralfaro
The Alcazaba is connected to the Arab fortress of Gibralfaro by a long passage formed by two rows of walls. From here, there is an amazing view of Malaga, and Gibralfaro is considered the most spectacular observation deck in the city.
The fortress was built on a high hill by the Arab caliph Abd ar-Rahman III in the first third of the 10th century. Initially, there was a lighthouse in the fortress complex, which gave the name to the entire citadel. After 400 years, the fortress was reconstructed by Emir Yusuf I, and then the time of the Reconquista came.
Having conquered the Iberian Peninsula, the participants of the Crusades began to rebuild the structures received as trophies in their own way. The reconstruction did not pass by Gibralfaro either. The citadel was turned into the residence of King Ferdinand.
Today's visitors to the fortress can look not only at Malaga from a bird's eye view, but also at the exhibition of ancient armor and weapons, housed in the courtyard of Gibralfaro.
Roman amphitheater
Near the Alcazaba is another significant and, perhaps, the most ancient landmark of Malaga. Roman amphitheater, recovered by chance in the middle of the twentieth century. as a result of construction work in the city garden, was first born in the 1st century. BC. during the reign of Octavian Augustus. Those who came to the Pyrenees in the VIII century. the Moors destroyed many buildings. The amphitheater attracted them due to the huge amount of building material and was turned into a quarry. And yet, despite the fate that befell him, the ancient theater of Malaga is well preserved and today serves as a stage for classical music concerts and theatrical performances.
Malaga Cathedral
Malaga Cathedral is popularly nicknamed "The One-armed Lady". The reason for such a strange name was the lack of funds for the construction of the temple and, as a result, non-compliance with the original project. The cathedral was missing one tower, and they began to call it La Manquita.
The first stone in the construction was laid in 1528. Traditionally, a destroyed mosque was chosen as the site for the future temple. The Cathedral of the Incarnation was consecrated in 1588, but work continued until the middle of the 18th century.
Long-term construction was the reason that the appearance of the temple clearly shows the features of the Baroque, and neoclassical notes, and the Gothic component. But, as is usual with medieval cathedrals, such a vinaigrette not only does not spoil the general appearance, but also gives the structure a special majesty and grandeur.
In the Cathedral of Malaga, noteworthy:
- Icon "The Most Pure Virgin with the Saints." The author is Alonso Cano, who lived and worked in the first half of the 17th century. and famous for its altarpieces of the Church of Santa Maria de Lebrija in Seville.
- Sculptures in the Chapel of De los Reyes and 40 reliefs for the choir, carved in wood. Their author is the Spanish sculptor Pedro de Mena, a student of Alonso Cano.
- Embossed medallions above the entrances from the façade. They depict the patron saints of Malaga and biblical scenes dedicated to the Annunciation.
The height of the northern tower of the cathedral is 84 m. There are 14 bells on the bell tower, eight of which were cast in the 18th century. by the master Francisco Venero.
Bishop's palace
At the beginning of the XVI century. the first Episcopal Palace appeared in Malaga, but after a very short time it became cramped, and the next bishop began to build a more spacious one. The building was rebuilt and expanded more than once in the future, and as a result it became one of the most significant and noticeable in the old part of Malaga.
The most beautiful facade is decorated with columns, pilasters and balconies and outwardly resembles the altar of a Catholic church. The entrance to the palace is a true gem of the Baroque style. Three of its levels are decorated with pink columns, perfectly in harmony with gray marble, of which rectangular arches of the first and second floors are made and round - on the third. On the upper level, there is a statue of the Holy Virgin Fernando Otis.
The palace is included in the register of specially protected buildings in Spain. It houses the Museum of Spiritual Art.
Picasso Museum
One of the greatest painters of the 20th century, Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga. It is not surprising that a museum dedicated to the work of the brilliant artist has been opened in his hometown.
The museum was founded in 2003, and today there are more than 200 works by Picasso in its collection. They were donated to their hometown by the artist's family. The paintings are housed in the Buenavista Palace.
The mansion was built in the first half of the 16th century for Diego di Casaglia, ruler of Malaga. It is noteworthy that for the palace they chose the place where the residence of the Nasrid, who ruled the Emirate of Granada in the 13th-15th centuries, was previously located. Today, the building of the Picasso Museum is included in the register of cultural objects protected by the state. Previously, it housed an art museum, but the royal family, respecting the merits of Picasso to the Fatherland, donated the palace for the exhibition of his paintings in his homeland.
On Place Merced, near the Picasso Art Museum, there is the house where the founder of Cubism was born in 1881.
Carmen Thyssen Museum
The private collection of masterpieces of fine art, owned by Baroness Carmen Thyssen, has become available to everyone since 2011. The owner signed an agreement with the Málaga City Hall, and now there are about 200 works by Spanish artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. can be seen in the art museum at the Villalon Palace.
The mansion of the 16th century, where the exposition is located, is of no less interest to fans of architecture. Built in the Baroque style, it was renovated in 2010 on the occasion of the opening of the museum. The palazzo displays works by old-school craftsmen, while the modern annex houses temporary collections and traveling exhibitions.
Automobile museum
Exhibits of the new, but already very popular with tourists, Automobile Museum - about a hundred rare cars collected by a resident of Portugal and located in the building of a former tobacco factory in Malaga. In the halls of the old mansion, you can look at one of the best collections of outstanding masterpieces of the world automobile industry. The most outstanding exhibits are tuned by famous artists, whose works adorn the halls of the best museums on the planet.
Ferraris and Bentleys, Jaguars and Bugatti, collected in the Automobile Museum of Malaga, can be rented for your own needs. The pleasure will cost a lot, but once in a lifetime you can afford a walk on a Rolls-Royce encrusted with Swarovski crystals.
La Malagueta
The most spectacular bullfighting performances in Malaga take place during Holy Week and on the day of Saints Cyriaco and Paula.
La Malagueta was inaugurated in 1876 and has since remained one of the most popular tourist destinations in Malaga and Andalusia. If you are not too fond of watching bulls being killed, you should still come here. The Bullfighting Museum, opened at La Malagueta, is famous for its collection of interesting exhibits.
The arena is designed in the neo-Mudejar style and clearly shows the features of the Arab buildings that have appeared in Spain for several centuries starting from the 18th century. The diameter of the building is 52 meters, and La Malagueta, which can simultaneously accommodate 14 thousand spectators, is one of the largest such structures in the world.
Botanical Garden
The honor of creating the Botanical Garden in Malaga belongs to the spouses Jorge Loring Oyarzabal and Amalia Heredia Livermore. Inveterate travelers, they dreamed of creating a park zone with rare and ornamental plants in their hometown. To do this, they invited a French master of landscape design, and a real English park appeared in Malaga. More than 150 years have passed since then, and today the Botanical Garden boasts three thousand tropical plants that feel at home in Malaga.
Several themed routes await tourists in the park, and graceful sculptures, picturesque fountains and comfortable benches for relaxation serve as decorations of paths and platforms.
