Alhaurín El Grande

History

Alhaurín el Grande has a rich history, being in such a good location it has proved a very popular place throughout history, with traces of many different civilisations including Neolithic, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Visigoths and Arabs.

The Greeks brought with them their expertise and knowledge in how to cultivate the land along with their olive trees and vines.

There was a small but well established Iberian settlement in Alhaurín el Grande when the Romans invaded and they then renamed it Lauro Nova. The Roman settlement then expanded to reach a considerable size leaving historical evidence throughout the area and into the hills, including an aqueduct whose arches can still be seen near the Lucena Fountain, pools, Capital writings, ceramics, columns, sculptures, tombstones, coins with the heads of Diocletian and Probus and the ruins of Cerrogordo. They believed the area was ‘blessed by the gods’ as the land was temperate, fertile and the hills they were surrounded by contained an abundance of valuable mineral deposits.

When the Moors arrived they named it ‘Alhaurín’ which means ‘Garden of Allah’ and built a dominating fortress called Torres de Fahala. Sadly the castle was destroyed during the Reconquista, though luckily the village survived.

Christian troops conquered the town in 1485. The Catholic monarchs added ‘El Grande’ to the name to separate it from the neighbouring town Alhaurín de la Torre.

The town has faced many invasions, epidemics of the plague and even an earthquake in 1680.

Sightseeing

There are many historical sights to see in Alhaurín el Grande.

In the main Square, La plaza de Ayuntamiento, you can see:

• Roman Columns at the entrance of the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall)
• Commemorative plaque of the Spanish Independence war bicentennial (1808-2008)
• Viewpoint from the convent which offers spectacular views of the Guadalhorce Valley.

From the Arab period:

• Arco del Cobertizo, 12th century, located behind the Church of Our Lady of the Incarnation, in Bajondillo. It was part of the wall that protected the town
• Ruins of the Fahala Fortress o Castillo de la Reina, Torres de Fahala, located 230 meters above sea level on a natural plateau, extending approximately 20,000 square meters, surrounded by the Fahala River and the Sanguino Stream. It is of Nazari origin from the 13th century built as a defensive post. There are three distinct areas inside the fortress; A perimeter wall, Villa Nazari and Alcazar. To date, nine mills and six silos have been excavated.
• Torre vigia de Hurique, built in the 15th century as a lookout tower, standing 13 meters high, is one of only two watchtowers that have been preserved and protected in the Málaga province.
• Molino morisco de los Corchos, situated on the beautiful banks of the Fahala River, constructed in the 15th/16th century, is one of the few water mills that remain in the province from the Arab period. Wheat and other grains were mainly milled using the stone grinding wheel system powered from the river water, however it’s name came from grinding cork which was used to preserve grapes and pomegranates for export between 1905 and 1941.

From the Christian era:

• Hermitage of Saint Sebastian (Ermita de San Sebastián) originally a Muslim holy shrine that was converted in the 15th century to a Christian hermitage in honor of Saint Sebastian.
• The Church of Our Lady of the Incarnation (Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación) was built on the ruins of an old mosque in 1505 and restored in 1863.
• The Hermitage of the Holy True Cross (Ermita de la Santa Vera Cruz) was restored from 1904 to 1921 after being destroyed by the French in 1812. Built cerca 1542.

From the 18th Century:

• Saint Raphael Gate (Porton de San Rafael) is a wrought iron arch that led to the Saint Raphael Farm, which was part of a chaplaincy.
• Hermitages of Christ in Agony (Ermita del Cristo de las Agonías) was built in 1783 on commission of Brother Vicente de Burgos.
• The Hermitage of Saint Antón (Ermita de San Antón), the patron saint of animals, is located in the El Chorro neighbourhood in the upper part of town.
• The Crypt of the old Franciscan convent (Casa Consistorial, Cripta del antiguo convento franciscano) is actually found on the ground floor of the town hall which used to be the old convent-hospital of Santa Catalina (Real Hospital de Santa Catalina Mártir). There are five old Convent Caves that are now used for exhibitions, conferences, etc.
• The Lucena Fountain or the twelve Spouts (Fuente Lucena o Fuente de los Doce Caños) can be found in the lower part of town. Built in the mid-19th century, women would meet here to wash and collect water.