Álora
Encyclopedia
Álora is a town of southern Spain
, part of the province of Málaga, located c. 40 km from Málaga
, on the right bank of the river Guadalhorce
, and on the Córdoba-Málaga high-speed rail line. From a distance, it is a typical pueblo blanco, a whitewashed village nestled between three rocky spurs topped by the ruins of the castle.
and by the Phoenicians, who most likely built the castle. The Romans
, after their conquest of Spain, restored the fortress and had here a municipium
known as Iluritanum, as attested by an iscription dating to 79 BC.
The fortress was further enlarged by the Visigoths and, above all, the Moors
, who conquered it early during their conquest of Spain. Álora became a stronghold of the rebellious Umar ibn Hafsun
, semi-independent lord of Bobastro in the time of the emirate of Córdoba. The Christians of northern and central Spain attempted numerous times to conquest the town, but were successful only in 1484.
Álora enjoyed a period of prosperity during the 16th and 17th centuries, and in 1628 it became autonomous from the commune of Málaga. In the 20th century much of the population emigrated, especially to the United States and, starting from the 1960s, Germany, Australia and Switzerland.
ns and subsequently expanded under Roman rule. In the 5th century the castle was virtually destroyed by the Visigoth
s, only to be rebuilt under the Moors
; remnants of this era still remain, namely the decorative steel door and the traditional Arab mirador
.
Other sights include:
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, part of the province of Málaga, located c. 40 km from Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
, on the right bank of the river Guadalhorce
Guadalhorce
The Guadalhorce River is the principal river of the Province of Málaga, southern Spain....
, and on the Córdoba-Málaga high-speed rail line. From a distance, it is a typical pueblo blanco, a whitewashed village nestled between three rocky spurs topped by the ruins of the castle.
History
The area was settled since prehistorical times, and was exploit for its commercial position by TartessosTartessos
Tartessos or Tartessus was a harbor city and surrounding culture on the south coast of the Iberian peninsula , at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River. It appears in sources from Greece and the Near East starting in the middle of the first millennium BC, for example Herodotus, who describes it as...
and by the Phoenicians, who most likely built the castle. The Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, after their conquest of Spain, restored the fortress and had here a municipium
Municipium
Municipium , the prototype of English municipality, was the Latin term for a town or city. Etymologically the municipium was a social contract between municipes, the "duty holders," or citizens of the town. The duties, or munera, were a communal obligation assumed by the municipes in exchange for...
known as Iluritanum, as attested by an iscription dating to 79 BC.
The fortress was further enlarged by the Visigoths and, above all, the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
, who conquered it early during their conquest of Spain. Álora became a stronghold of the rebellious Umar ibn Hafsun
Umar ibn Hafsun
`Umar ibn Hafsun ibn Ja'far ibn Salim , known in Spanish history as Omar ben Hafsun, was a 9th century Christian leader of anti-Ummayad dynasty forces in southern Iberia.-Ancestry:...
, semi-independent lord of Bobastro in the time of the emirate of Córdoba. The Christians of northern and central Spain attempted numerous times to conquest the town, but were successful only in 1484.
Álora enjoyed a period of prosperity during the 16th and 17th centuries, and in 1628 it became autonomous from the commune of Málaga. In the 20th century much of the population emigrated, especially to the United States and, starting from the 1960s, Germany, Australia and Switzerland.
Main sights
Álora's castle was first built by the PhoeniciaPhoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
ns and subsequently expanded under Roman rule. In the 5th century the castle was virtually destroyed by the Visigoth
Visigoth
The Visigoths were one of two main branches of the Goths, the Ostrogoths being the other. These tribes were among the Germans who spread through the late Roman Empire during the Migration Period...
s, only to be rebuilt under the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
; remnants of this era still remain, namely the decorative steel door and the traditional Arab mirador
Mirador
Mirador is a 1997 album by the band Tarnation, which is led by Paula Frazer. It was released on 4AD in the UK and on Reprise/Warner Bros. Records in the rest of the world.-Track listing:All songs written by Paula Frazer except where indicated....
.
Other sights include:
- church and convent of Nuestra Señora de Flores (16th century)
- Iglesia de la Veracruz (16th century)
- church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación, located on the site of the castle's mosque. It houses a crucifix by José Navas Parejo.
- chapel of St. Brigida (16th century)
- chapel of Las Torres (15th century), in late Gothic style