www.letsdiscoverspain.com

All photos on this website by Jack Cox - Travel & Nature Photographer - Assignments welcome

.

Let's Discover Alozaina in the Sierra de las Nieves in southern Spain

Alozaina, whose inhabitants are called Pecheros, lies in the Sierra de las Nieves, nestling between the Serrania de Ronda to the west and the Guadalhorce Valley to the east and from the Rio Grande valley in the south up to the peak of Sierra Prieta (1525 metres) in the north. As a result the area enjoys a varied landscape, ranging from fertile agricultural land with olive trees, fruit trees and cereal crops, to rugged mountain upland.  The limestone outcrops of the Sierra Prieta and La Ventanilla are breathtaking and there is a lovely pine forest at Cuesta de Pino Alto (Hill of the High Pine).

Human activity in the area goes back to the Upper Palaeolithic and Neolithic periods, evidenced by the signs left in the Tajo de Jorox caves and the vestiges of an Iberian hill fort can be found at Cerro de Penon. Phoenician traders would have passed through on their way to Ronda.

The Roman were here too although they left more of a mark near the adjoining deserted medieval village of Ardite, finds have been made in the Albar area of Monte. These include a column and an altar stone suggesting a rural villa.

The Moors called the town 'Alhosaina' (small castle or small fortress) when they settled here.  They were much more tolerant than the Christians and in the ninth century a Mozarabe church was permitted to be carved out of the rock . In the 14th century they built a castle although most of what can be seen today is a mid 20th century reconstruction.

In 1484 the castle fell to Christian forces under the command of the Marquis of Cadiz.  Five days later he ordered all the olive trees to be cut down and to burn the village.  As a result Alozaina was deserted for some time but by 1492 the area was largely repopulated by Europeans from northern Spain. The Arabs faired poorly under intolerant Christian rule and forced conversions which led to a Morisco rebellion in 1568. This was put down two years later. The story is told of one Christian girl, María Sagredo. It is said that she saw her father fall from one of the towers of the castle while he was defending it from the Moors. According to the legend she threw beehives at the Moors. The bees began to furiously attack the Arabs, leading to their retreat. In their flight, legend tells that the Moriscos were shouting "Maria, damned be the flies of your land". This legendary event is represented in the village's coat of arms.
Later, in 1897 the town hall agreed to name a street after this plucky girl.

In Alozaina the olive harvest begins in September, much earlier than elsewhere in Andalucia. This coincides with the festival of the "Sweet Name of Mary". As the olives are picked still green they call this the "verdeo" and they are prepared using a a special recipe which has been passed on from generation to generation. Its exquisite taste has led them to achieve widespread fame among the hospitality industry of Málaga and the rest of Andalusia.

Alozaina has a rich and varied gastronomy that includes dishes like fried garlic with eggs, garlic flavoured rabbit with tomato, gazpacho, ajoblanco, salmon and cod omelette and many other items. In winter the most popular dishes are the gachas, the stews of chickpeas with cod and garlic and the fried eggs with asparagus. In summer its mostly roast pepper salads and gazpacho. You can end your meal with a delicious honey doughnut or green fig bread.

Things to do and see:

The 14th century Moorish Castle offers remarkable views over town and countryside. Part of the original walls and a Moorish tower can still be seen in their original form.  The rest is a reconstruction.

The Church of Santa Ana, like many local parish churches, was originally a mosque, but was desecrated by Christians in 1622. Further rebuilding was undertaken between 1770 and 1774 so little if any of its original beauty can now be seen. Today the church is in the shape of a cross and has a wooden roof. The tower has a square base, supporting an octagonal bell tower, topped with a pyramidal roof.

There is an Old Archway in Calle Calvario where cars pass through a central arch and pedestrians through two smaller arches at either side. Although this is a basic Moorish style it is unlikely that it is original.

The ruins of a 9th century Mozarabe church carved out of the rock can still be seen. The church is a single storey construction. Close by are the remains of a Moorish cemetery, with stone tombs of different sizes.

The town centre is a good example of  typical Andalusian architecture at its best. It has lovely streets with whitewashed houses decorated with flowers and a charming parish church. There is also a lovely Paseo de Pérgolas (pergola walk).  In 1977 Alozaina was declared to be the prettiest town in Spain.

Other interesting places include the unpopulated areas of Ardite and Jorox dating from medieval times. Ardite is a hill top, 459 metres above sea level, overlooking the Rio Grande. No evidence has been found that this was an Iberian hillfort, but in Tolox are the remnants of a small settlement of the same name. Roman finds have been unearthed here suggesting that it was a rustic community or a large farmstead, surrounded by rich agricultural land fed by water from the mountains.

In the country estate of Los Hoyos de los Peñones there is a small church and a necropolis from the Mozarabic era.

Fiesta - September

Alozaina celebrates its Festival in honour of the las Fiestas en Honor del Dulce Nombre de María (in Honour of the Sweet Name of María) during the month of September.  This is also the Fiestas de la Aceituna. Apart from musical events, one of the most popular parts of the festival is the free tasting of olives on the Sunday morning in the main square of the town. Here visitors and locals alike gather to enjoy the event and have a great time at the festival.

Recommended Reading

Other Useful Links

.

.

.

.

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................