Museo del Vidrio y Cristal de Málaga

Today we went to see the big fortress, Alcazada, that overlooks the city. At one time this fortress was at the base of a mountain and right on the sea shore but now it is about 1 km away from the water. The city has quite the history with many different cultures living in it over the years.

It’s history spans about 2,800 years, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe. It’s was founded about 770 BC by the Phoenicians and called Malaka, or the “‘fish salting place”. On the street, there is a glass pyramid that you can look into and see the tanks/basins that were used to make a fish sauce called garum.

The Greeks followed, establishing a colony in the city in the 6th century BC, which lasted for several centuries. In the 3rd century BC, the Carthaginians took control of Malaga, followed by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. The Romans expanded the city, building an aqueduct, amphitheatre, and other impressive structures. During this time, Malaga became an important port and commercial centre.

The Visigoths (Germans) took control of Malaga in the 5th century AD, followed by the Moors. The Moors greatly influenced the city, introducing new architectural styles, such as the famous Alcazaba Fortress that we were visiting and the Gibralfaro Castle. The city also became an important cultural centre, with scholars and poets flocking to Malaga.

In 1487, the city was conquered by the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella during the Reconquista. Malaga became an important centre of the Inquisition, which saw many non-Christians persecuted and killed. The city experienced a period of decline during the 16th and 17th centuries.

But during the 19th and 20th centuries, Malaga experienced a resurgence, with new industries such as textiles and agriculture. In the 20th century, the city also became a popular tourist destination, with its sunny climate, beaches, and rich cultural heritage attracting visitors from around the world.

The Alcazada is a fortress palace built between 1057 and 1063 by the Muslims. They used building materials from the ancient Roman theatre, only discovered in 1951, that sits at the foot of the palace. From there they lugged marble sculptures, columns and statues up the hill to adorn the fortress. The guide had us look for the old Roman columns that decorated the gates.

On the top floor were the beautiful rooms of the palace with three attractive courtyards. The views were lovely and we could see clearly Antonio Banderas penthouse suite. He was born in Malaga.

The fortress was maintained in good conditions until the seventeenth century when two events contributed to its deterioration: a big earthquake in 1680, and the damage caused by an attack by French ships in 1693 during the Nine Years’ War. From then the fortress was used for several purposes including a prison, hospital and even homes were built from its stones on the lower part, until the thirties when rehabilitation work began and the fortress palace was declared a Historical Heritage of Spain.Read more