The space that defines the city is the Centro
Historico (Historic City Centre). There, you can
find the largest number of monumentsand places
of interest ofthe city. So, werecommend that you
visit the sights. The most important monuments,
which must be visited, are the Cathedral, the
Alcazaba and Gibralfaro. To get to them, we propose
a tour that allows you to perceive the physical
personality of the place. We start the walk with
the Plaza de la Marina (Navy Square), the Puerto
(Port) is behind it, the Parque (Park) is on the
right and the Alameda Principal, the green axis
par excelence of the city, is on the left. The
fac;ade of the Plaza de la Marina (Navy Square),
facing north, is formed by some buildings of autarchic
style with historicist elements to achieve a monumental
appearance given that they act as the screen of
the city from the sea, and were built between
1948 and 1960 by the architect Juan Jauregui Briales.
The Diputacion Provincial (County Council) is
located in the building of the extreme right.
Just on the left, in a landscaped arbour, we find
the monument to the Marques de Larios (Marquis
of Larios), outstanding man of the city and promoter
of the main street in the historical Malaga. The
monument was made by Mariano Benlliure and matches
the exaltation style of the bourgeoisie typical
of the 19th century. From this place, you have
several options. If you decide to go to the Alameda
Principal, on the left, you will walk through
a space adorned with a green vault of oriental
plane trees and rubber plants and you can appreciate
the fa~ades of the aristocratic houses of the
19th century oligarchy. Among them, we can cite
the building of the Archivo Municipal (Town Archive),
built in 1792, which used to be a home at the
beginning and afterwards it acquired administrative
and teaching functions, until the Town Hall took
it over and gave it its current use.
In the same way, the Palace in which we find the
Delegacion de Gobernacion de la Junta de Andalucia
(Building of the Government Office of the Junta
de Andalucia) stands out, and the Iglesia de Stella
Maris (Church of Stella Maris) appears as a great
contrast too. It was built by the architect Jose
Maria Garda de Paredes who gave it functional
style. Continuing as far as the bed of the river
Guadalmedina an d heading back to the left, we
come to the Calle Alemania, where the Malaga Contemporary
Art Centre is located in a unique building openend
in february 2003. On display here are the latest
works of the laeading contemporary artists alongside
those belonging to the permanent collection, which
consist of almost four hundred pieces. The Centre
also features conferences, workshops and a specialist
bookshop. Returning to the Alameda, we find Stella
Maris church; crossing the road and turning into
Calle Ordóñez, we come immediately
to the Mercado de Atarazanas, also known as the
Central Market.
Its Main Gate was recovered from the building
of the Islamic shipyard where the ships were built
and repaired. However, if your interest is cultural
and commercial, you have to go from the monument
of the Marquis of Larios towards the northside.
The street that opens the itinerary is Calle Larios
(Larios Street), main street of the city centre.
This street is one of the emblematic symbols of
the 19th century Malaga because it meant the application
of an urbanistic and architectural project that
linked to the most modern European proposals,
following Haussmann's projects in Paris. The objective
was to join the city centre with the Port and
improve the infrastructure conditions of this
zone which kept the Islamic plot and gave shelter
to a marginal population.
Some architects (Moreno Monroy, Rivera Valentin)
and engineers (Jose Marfa Sancha) took part, since
1858, in projects which were not carried out until
1886 when the Sociedad Mercantil "Hijos de
Martin Larios" (Mercantile Society "Martin
Larios' Descendents") supported the project
and brought it into operation. The buildings try
to be adapted to the Chicago School style because
its architect, Educardo Strachan, conceived the
structural unity of the groundfJoor and the mezzanine
as an innovation. It is interesting to compare
the style of these blocks with other buildings
of the same century which can be seen in adjacent
and posterior streets, because we see confirmed
the decorative austerity of those in Larios Street
as well as the importance of their structual values,
justifying with them their keys of modernity and
the special character of the street.
Calle Larios (Larios Street) ends in Plaza de
la Constitucion (Constitution Square). It has
been the square par excellence of the city throughout
its history. At the beginning, it was formed by
the intersection of four streets and since the
Modern Period, there were very important buildings,
such as the prisi6n (prison), the Ayuntamiento
(Town Hall), the Carnicerfas, the Corregimiento
Office of "Corregidor" (magistrate appointed
by king», and Casas del Cabildo (where the
authorities of the city used to meet). It was
the scene of fiestas, bullfights, executions and
religious celebrations. Its present appearance
is due to the remodellings carried out in 2002.
Its most notewworthy feature is the Genova (or
Carlos V) Fountain which has adorned the finest
public areas of Malaga since the 16th century.
You can visit two places. One of them is the Sociedad
Economica de Amigos del Pais (Economic Society
of Friends of the Country), a typical example
of 18th century home architecture and the other
one is the Iglesia del Santo Cristo de la Salud
(Church of the Saint Christ of Health). It is
part of the conventical group of buildings of
the Jesuits and an excellent example of the Jesuitic
baroque architecture. The ground plan is a circle
inscribed in a square covered by a cupola. It
is decorated with paintings that simulate architectural
structures and that house figures of martyrs.
Inside, the image of the Santo Cristo de la Salud
(Saint Christ of Health) carved by Jose Micael
y Alfaro in 1633 stands out. Next to this church,
there is another monumental door which was part
of the conventical outbuildings. In the 19th century,
the Escuela de Bellas Artes (School of Fine Arts)
was located in this place where Picasso had his
first artistic training.
We continue with Calle Granada (Granada Street).
This street has a twisting outline and joins Plaza
de la Constitucion (Constitution Square) with
Plaza de la Merced (Our Lady of Mercy Square).
The Catholic Monarchs entered through it in 1487,
after the Reconquest. All its architecture corresponds
to the eclectic style typical of the remodelling
suffered in the 19th century. From this place,
we can go to other advisable points through Calle
Santa Lucia (Saint Lucy Street) such as the Iglesia
de los Mamres (Church of the Martyrs) where images
of great interest are worshipped. We go back to
Calle Granada (Granada Street) to get to the second
section of this street, for pedestrians only,
where we can see palaces of the 18th century such
as the Palacio de la Familia Gálvez (palace of
the Gálvez Family) (n.61) or the Palado del Marques
del Vado (Palace of the Marquis of the Vado) (n.73).
On the right sidewalk, we find the Iglesia de
Santiago (Church of St. James) with its mudejar
tower. The inside, remodelled in the 18th century,
is a good example of baroque decoration, such
as the one of the Iglesia de los M3rtires (Church
of the Martyrs) or the one of the Iglesia de San
Juan (Church of St. John).
We get to Plaza de la Merced (Our Lady of Mercy
Square). This place used to be a free market,
outside the city walls, in Moslem times. During
the Modern period, some convents such as the Convento
de la Merced (Convent of Our Lady of Mercy) or
the Convento de la Paz (Convent of Our Lady of
Peace) and the Hospital de Santa Ana (St. Anne's
Hospital) were built there. In the 18th century,
it was landscaped and in the 19th century, it
obtained its true personality when it became a
place with ludic and emblematic functions as the
mortal remains of General Torrijos and his followers,
liberals, were buried in the centre of the square;
they were shot because they defended civil liberties
in the 19th century. There is an obelisk that
points out the cenotaph made by Rafael Mitjana
in 1842 In the north face, Picasso was born in
the left corner, second floor of the socalled
Casas de Campos (Campos' Houses), work carried
out between 1868 and 1874, finished by Jeronimo
Cuervos. Nowadays, the place holds the Fundacion
Picasso (Picasso Foundation), managed by the Town
Council, a centre of exhibition and research into
Picasso and contemporary art.
Just next to it, and towards the west, we find
the Teatro Municipal Miguel de Cervantes (Miguel
de Cervantes City Theatre) built in 1870 by Jeronimo
Cuervo too. Inside, the seating is decorated with
a large canvas shaped like a horseshoe which stands
for an allegory of Malaga. It was painted by Bernardo
Fercindiz, a painter from Valencia who settled
himself in Malaga in 1868. We want to point out
that, from Plaza de la Merced (Our Lady of Mercy
Square), towards the north, through Cal1e de la
Victoria (Victory Street), we get to the Santuario
de la Vugen de la Victoria (Sanctuary of Our Lady
of Victory), patron saint of the city. The image
is a beautiful carving, anonymous, made at the
end of the 15th century.
The reredos of the High Altarpiece stands out.
It was made by Luis Ortiz de Vargas and represents
episodes of San Francisco de Paula's life and
the Virgin's torre camarin (tower with a closet
room where the Virgin's dresses are kept). In
the crypt of the Sanctuary, we find the Panteon
de Ios Condes de Buenavista (Pantheon of the Counts
of Buenavista), one of the most terrifying places
of the Spanish Baroque. In the upper section,
we find the Camarin de la Vugen (Virgin's closet
room where the Virgin's dresses are kept) which
represents Heaven through an explosion of decorative
vegetation elements, mirrors, cherubs and Marian
symbols, a typical example of the decorative language
of the Andalusian Baroque.
From Plaza de la Merced (Our Lady of Mercy Square)
we continue to the south-east, through Calle Alcazabilla
(Alcazabilla Street) to get to the Teatro Romano
(Roman Theatre) and the Alcazaba. The whole street
and the jardines de Ibn Gabirol (Ibn Gabirol Gardens)
were established over Phoenician, Roman and Moslem
cities, an important group of archeological remains
which are still preserved under the present city.
The Teatro Romano (Roman Theatre), medium-sized,
keeps parts of its original structure. The group
of the Alcazaba-Gibralfaro is the most important
one that remains from the Islamic time. The Alcazaba
owes its present appearance to the 11th century.
Its construction was ordered by King Badis, of
the ziri of Granada, when Malaga became an independent
taifa.
In this same place, there used to be another
building before, conceived as a military fortress
and palace, which was enlarged and remodelled
starting form the second half of the 11th century.
Its singularity lies in the accumulation of defensive
elements: three lines of walls, cornered doors,
barbican, coracha (walled corridor), watch-towers,
machicolations, parapet walks, which made it almost
impregnable. Apart from being gaudy, this area
of palaces, with a pavilion with polylobulated
archs, of the 11th century, like a bay window
over the bay of Malaga, the military quarter stands
out, one of the most complete groups of the Islamic
dwellings of the 11th and 12th century which are
preserved.
Nowadays, it is being remodelled as Museo de la
AIcazaba (AIcazaba Museum), where the valuable
material of Islamic pottery found in this and
other places of Malaga will be kept.
From the AIcazaba and through the Coracha and
Jardines de Puerta Oscura (Dark Gate Gardens)
you can enter the Castillo de Gibralfaro (Gibralfaro
Castle). The easiest way of getting to the castle
is to take the number 35 bus which leaves from
Paseo del parque (Park's Walk). It is thought
that its existence dates back to the Phoenician
era. Its present name is derived from the Arabic
name of Monte del Faro (lighthouse Mountain) which
suggests the existence of a lighthouse in a previous
period. In the reign of Jusuy I of Granada (1333-1334)
the coracha terrestre was built, a walled corridor
that joined the fortress with the Alcazaba. During
the Modern Period, it suffered many remodellings
because it became the defensive castle of the
city, so, the Mosque and the inside rooms disappeared
and they were replaced by other newer ones. Once
back in the Plaza de la Aduana we head along Calle
del Cister. At the end of this street we turn
right and begin our journey along Calle de San
Agustin.
Today, a walk along this street is an opportunity
to take in one of the most charming areas of the
city. Towards the end of the street we come to
the Malaga Picasso Museum. This museum is located
in Buenavista Palace, a 16th-century renaissance
building and the finest example of stately architecture
of the time. The permanent collection is a sample
of Picasso's artistic vision. Over 200 works including
paintings, drawings, sculptures, pottery and engravings
bear witness to the magnitude of his long and
prolific career, from his early days as an academic
to his final paintings in the nineteen seventies.
Also on display here are Phoenician remains discovered
during the renovation ofthe palace.
After our visit to the Malaga Picasso Museum we
should retrace our steps and follow Calle de San
Agustin until we come back to Calle del Cister,
with the Puerta de la Cadenas, the entrance to
the Cathedral, just opposite. Before going inside,
it's worth seing, on the right, the Portada de
la Iglesia del Sagrario (Door of the Church of
the Sacrarium), of late gothic style. It was built
as the main entrance for a project of a new ground
plan of the cathedral. The church has a good Renaissance
Altarpiece of the 16th century Castillian School.
The construction of the Iglesia de la Encarnacion
(Church of Incarnation) began in 1528, under the
direction of the famous architects Diego de Siloe
and Enrique Egas. Its ground plan was designed
and its construction started several years before
in Catholic Monarch Style (late gothic) but its
elevation, according to the above mentioned architects,
was in classic style. Siloe's influence can be
observed in the upper end and in the High Altarpiece,
very similar to those of the Granada Cathedral.
The socalled Puerta de las Cadenas (Chain Door)
is another good example of Siloe's model. In spite
of the intervention of different architects such
as Diego de Vergara, father and son, Pedro Diaz
de Palacio (16th century), Diego de Pedrosa (17th
century), Jose de Bada and Antonio Ramos (18th
century), the building preserves a great unity,
outside and inside, where the harmonious rhythm
and austere solemnity stand out Many pieces of
art of great interest are kept inside the Cathedral:
Retablo de Santa Barbara (St. Barbra's Reredos),
of gothic style, which belonged to the old cathedral,
a high mosque reused after its consecration; Retablo
de Santa Clara (St. Claire's Reredos), of renaissance
style, Capilla de la Vugen de los Reyes (Chapel
of the Vugin of the Monarchs), whose image was
donated to the city by Queen Isabella the Catholic
and which is flanked by the representations of
the monarchs, models made by Pedro de Mena for
the Catholic Monarchs' images in the Granada Cathedral;
the picture of the Vugen del Rosario (Virgin of
the Rosary) painted by AIonso Cano, in the chapel
with the same name, one of the most beautiful
representations of the Virgin; the Capilla de
los Caidos (Chapel of the Fallen) with a halflengh
sculpture of the Dolorosa (Our Lady of Sorrows)
made by Pedro de Mena together with a crucifix
of the 17th century Granada School and, especially,
the Coro (Choir), wonderful choir stalls made
of quality wood that, in its high chairs, are
decorared with images of saints made by Pedro
de Mena. In the 18th century, Palomino did not
hesitate to describe it as the eighth wonder of
the world. In annexed outbuildings, we find the
Museo Catedralicio (Cathedral Museum).
The exit through the main door, a monumental access
made by Antonio Ramos in the 18th century, leads
us to Plaza del Obispo (Bishop Square). The north
face is BAROQUE FACADE OF THE BISHOP'S PALACE
NEXT TO THE CATHEDRAL occupied by the facade of
the Palacio del Obispo (Bishop's Palace), a work
by Antonio Ramos. From this place to the south-port
we find, to the east, the Parque (Park). Here,
you have two options. Once the tour through the
city is finished, we advice you to go to the Alameda
Principal and to make a stop, on the central strip
and on the right sidewalk, at the Casa de Guardia
(Guard's House), the oldest pub in the city which
was famous because of the quality of its wines.
This pub preserves its 19th century flavour and
the purity of the genuine "caldos" (wines)
of Malaga, known by the names of Pajarete, Guinda,
Solera, Moscatel dorado, Malaga Virgen, which
together with the famous Quitapenas, from the
cellars with the same name, or the Pedritos from
the taverns called Campanas, justify, after visiting
the city, the fame of Malaga wines. We recommend,
as another option, a slow stroll through the paths
and arbours of the Parque (Park). It was conceived
as a botanical garden where that characteristic
of an exceptional space, as a result of the quality
of its privileged weather, is expressed in the
variety and wealth of its plants from all parts
of the world. It was built over land reclaimed
from the sea and its construction began in 1897.
Among the vegetation, we find arbours which have
been adorned with monuments dedicated to famous
people of Malaga. The most important piece is
the Fuente de Genova o de Carlos V (Carlos V or
Genoa Fountain) (16th century) which has always
adorned privileged public areas of the city. On
its left side, we find various buildings. The
first one, former Casita del Jardinero (Little
House of the Gardener of the Park), is the Oficina
de Thrismo (Tourism Office) of the Malaga Ayuntamiento
(Town Hall). The next building used to be the
Oficina Central de Correos (Central Post Office),
built in a neomudejar style, which is now home
to the Rectorate of the University of Malaga.
Immediately after, we find the Banco de Espafia
(Bank of Spain), like a great classical temple.
Finally, we find the main building of the Ayuntanuento
(Town Hall), like a baroque palace, in a historicist
style. The Parque (Park) ends in Plaza del General
Torrijos (General Torrijos Square) adorned with
the Fuente de las Tres Gracias (Fountain of the
Three Graces), a French work of the 19th century,
and on its north side is the Municipal Museum,
which stands next to the entrance to the Alcazaba
Tunnel and stages important exhibitions. Not far
from here is the Bullring, which includes the
Antonio Ordóñez Bullfighting Museum.
Paseo de Reding (Reding Walk) with sumptuous regionalist
and historicist buildings such as the Palacio
de Justicia (Law Courts), former Miramar hotel
and the Paseo Maritimo (Promenade, Sea Front).
We suggest walking along the promenade until the
beaches of Pedregalejo and eating in a chiringuito
(open air restaurant) by the sea.
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