Axarquía - Experiencia Andalusí

Axarquia

COSTA DEL SOL - AXARQUÍA MANCOMUNIDAD

Minarets, medinas, andalusian landscapes in Sharqíyya

Perhaps the most striking evidence is its Arabic toponymy, Sharqíyya, meaning “eastern part.” Another prominent legacy is the magnificent minarets, the walls, and the alcazaba of its main urban nucleus—medina Balish, today known as Vélez Málaga—and the layout of the numerous alquerías (farmsteads) that formed the origin of many of its villages. The traces of Andalusian history are evident everywhere in Axarquía-Costa del Sol, which is one of the nine regions in the province of Málaga, and indeed the easternmost of them.

As part of the Kingdom of Granada’s Nasrid territory, this was one of the regions in the Iberian Peninsula to hold out longest against Christian conquest. It continued to have a significant Moorish and later Morisco presence well into the 16th century. You can discover this history in its 31 municipalities, especially in the interior. Come and experience the Andalusian heritage of the Axarquía!

Medinas

Gastronomy

Fiestas

Video

Architecture

Medinas

Gastronomy

Fiestas

Video

Mudejar of the Convent of San Francisco (Vélez-Málaga)

Architecture

Among the rich Andalusian heritage of the Axarquía, the magnificent alminares (minaret towers of ancient mosques) stand out. With the exception of Granada and possibly Aragón – where the status of some Mudéjar towers as alminares is debated – there is no other region in the Iberian Peninsula where such a large number of these towers have been preserved. You can find them in places such as Daimalos, Salares, Corumbela, Benaque, Árchez, Vélez-Málaga, and more. These towers originally served for the adhan (the Muslim call to prayer) until the 16th century, when they were transformed into bell towers for the new churches, some of which still retain beautiful Mudéjar elements.

But it is in the layout and architectural ensemble of the main urban center, medina Balish (modern-day Vélez-Málaga), with its walls, alcazaba (fortress), and remains of mosques, and in towns like Frigiliana, Cútar, Comares, and Canillas de Albaida, among others, where the Andalusian influence is most imposing.

Medina Vélez-Málaga

MEDINAS

Vélez-Málaga, or Balish, as it was called in Arabic, was an important medina. What is now the capital of the Axarquía region was founded by the Andalusians in the 9th century. It grew in importance, especially during the final period of Al-Andalus history, the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, and up until the Christian conquest in 1487.

The city was structured around the alcazaba, an urban center (the current La Villa neighborhood) with its walls and four access gates, along with the suburbs outside the walls. It also had a Jewish quarter, and of course, baths, a market, and a silk exchange. Though little remains of these last features, the current capital of the Axarquía still preserves some exceptional monuments and the essence of that time, allowing you to experience the Andalusian experience. The theatrical route “Madinat Balish” is a great way to enjoy it.

Gastronomy

The raisin continues to be one of the defining characteristics of the Axarquía. 40% of the production of the Málaga raisin, which enjoys international recognition as an Important System of the World Agricultural Heritage, awarded by the FAO, comes from this region. It was the first in Europe to receive this prestigious distinction, which recognizes the exceptional nature of a crop whose harvest is heroic, and whose artisanal production is unique in the world.

The raisin — zabib in Arabic — was the main product of many places in the Axarquía, such as El Borge, Almáchar, Comares, Sedella, or Almayate (Vélez-Málaga). Today, it is concentrated in the Axarquía municipalities of El Borge and Almáchar.

This raisin became an important export product during the Nasrid period and later, after the Christian conquest, its production was almost exclusively managed by the Moriscos.

The Andalusians also played a key role in introducing olive oil into the gastronomy. In Periana and Mondrón, you will find two centuries-old olive groves, living witnesses to a rural culture that already produced a unique olive oil during the Andalusian period. You will also find historic olive trees in the municipalities of Riogordo, La Viñuela, Colmenar, Alfarnate, and Alfarnatejo.

FESTIVALS

The traditional landscape of the Andalusian Axarquía remains recognizable in the hills covered with the green of almond trees, olive trees, and vineyards, with small streams carving through and bringing life to small valleys. The stark contrast of the white architecture of the wine presses and paseros (drying racks for grapes) offers a rich and unique visual landscape, as well as a cultural one, filled with traditions and festivals linked to grape cultivation, harvest, and raisin production.

Other festivals, originating much more recently, pay homage to the history and past of cultural diversity and coexistence that also took place in this easternmost region of Málaga, as in many other territories, during the Andalusian period. This includes the Arab-Andalusian Festival of Salares, held on the third weekend of September, the Monfí Festival of Cútar, celebrated in October, or the Festival of the Three Cultures of Frigiliana, held at the end of August.

· Nearby Territories ·

104 km away

GUADAJOZ – EAST CAMPIÑA

5 municipalities with an extensive Andalusian legacy. 13 examples of military architecture, 7 examples of religious architecture, 3 hydraulic systems, intangible heritage (7), archaeological heritage (1), museums (2), medinas and other areas of special relevance (3), and much more.

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604 km away

VALÈNCIA

Gastronomy, music, and traditions, including one recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Additionally, examples of military architecture (2), civil architecture (2), museums (4), and more.

DISCOVER IT

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