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Moorish on Ronda |
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Ronda affords breathtaking views from atop the "new" bridge |
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Nestled in Spain's Costa Del Sol is the ancient Moorish town of
Ronda. Perched high on a steep cliff, Ronda was the last city to be conquered
during the Roman Catholic re-conquest.
No wonder, it would be tough even today (okay, helicopters would make
it easier). Just a stones throw from Marbella and San Pedro, Ronda sits
atop a plateau in Malaga with a river gorge separating the old and new parts
of the city...much like Marbella. However, new in Ronda means the 18th
century! |
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Ronda's history dates back for several thousand years. Cave
paintings indicate prehistoric
human habitation, while the discovery of a Roman presence added even more
clues as to Ronda's earlier history. The Moors then settled and ruled it for
over 700 years, making it an important cultural centre in Al-Andalus, richly
adorned with palaces and mosques. |
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Ronda was the strongest fortified Moor position on the coast due
to its high altitude, impenetrable cliff-top location and steep gorges. Its
precarious position also meant that it was one of the last settlements to be
recaptured by the Catholics. At the time only the part of the city known as
La Ciudad existed. The new part, El Mercadillo, rose after the re-conquest
and after taxes imposed on La Ciudad became so high that the residents were
forced to move elsewhere. |
Approaching Ronda atop
a cliff |
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The Moorish Puerta de Almocabar, which in the 13th century was
the main gateway to the castle and the 16th century Renaissance Gate built by
Charles V are the two main gateways into the city. Before exploring the city be sure to check into the
Parador de Ronda hotel. If you a queasy of heights then be wary of rooms on
the cliff side as they offer stomach turning vistas of the gorge near 300
feet below. The Parador is a state owned inn and the moderate prices reflect
that, however, it is modern and has suitable luxuries. The most distinctive landmark on the way to Ronda is without
doubt the Puente Nuevo ("New Bridge") and is featured on many postcards of Costa del Sol. This
towering bridge was built during the 18th century and has been the site of
many suicides and genocide. During the civil war Republican sympathizers were
thrown in the gorge by General Franco's troops. In the 18th century horses
injured in bullfights were even tossed over the bridge to their end. Even the
architect himself fell from the bridge! Another notable site in Ronda is the bullring (and history of
bullfighting). The Plaza de Toros is widely lauded as the most
important and famous ring in the world. The majority of this praise is
given to a man called Pedro Romero who was undoubtedly the father of
modern day bullfighting. He developed the graceful style that involved fighting the
bulls on foot rather than on horseback as it had previously always been done.
He retired after slaying more than 5,600 bulls without ever being hurt. |
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Ronda Bullring |
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Goya, the Spanish
artist, painted Romero and his colleagues and in their honor a special
festival is held every year called the Goyesca, which features only the
country's finest matadors attired in 18th century costumes. Opposing them are
the finest bulls in Spain. This is the most important bullfighting event in
the world; every September thousands come to witness the spectacle. The bullfighting season runs from April to October, with the most important events taking place in spring and summer; to coincide with the ferias in Sevilla, Cordoba, Jerez, El Puerto de Santa Maria, Algeciras and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. If you want to go, then it is best to inquire at the local tourist office when you arrive or find the ticket office (taquilla) specifically dedicated to the sale of tickets for the bullfight. All the major towns will have bullrings and tickets can be purchased outside the bullrings, but beware of ticket scalpers. Numerous historical buildings in Ronda have stood for more than
500 years. One of the more outstanding is the Palacio Mondragon which
contains many examples of tapestries, mosaics and stucco from the Moorish
period. A great deal of it was rebuilt after the reconquest by Isabella and
Ferdinand, including the horseshoe arches and roof terrace. The Santa Maria de Mayor church on Plaza Duqueza de Parcent was
the city's original mosque in the 13th century. It was converted after the
re-conquest to a Catholic church and a belfry was installed on top of the old
minaret, however, traces of Arabic inscriptions can still be seen inside. The
Minaret of San Sebastian close by is all that remains of another 14th century
mosque. Writer Ernest Hemingway, worked as a newspaper correspondent
during the Spanish Civil War, the period in which he wrote the novels
"For Whom The Bell Tolls" and "The Sun Also Rises". He
lived in the Ronda neighbor Malaga and was friends with the famous
bullfighter Antonio Ordonez. Fuelled by a fascination with bullfighting he
wrote his novel, "Death In The Afternoon". |
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The
thought of bullfighting, will no doubt leave you hungry. Head over to Pedro Romero right
outside the bullring. They offer great examples of Spanish cooking but do try
the rabbit washed down a Sangria or Port. Somehow, the sweet wine offsets the
abundance of huge olives.
Another option would be the Meson del Escudero which barbecues all of
its meat and fish dishes. The down side is their lack of desserts. |
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Ronda
is a town which you could spend a day or the time it takes to write a few
novels. It is a great place to escape to a time gone by and feel secure that
today won’t catch up for a while. |
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