 |
Page 3 of 11 |  |
|
|
Page 3 of 11 | |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The old village of Castellar de la Frontera is perched high on a hilltop in the province of Cadiz, with commanding views over the Guadarranque reservoir. The village is easiest reached from the C111 road that leaves the coast at San Roque, branching off to Castellar after just 10 kilometers. This historic fortress village is famous for its castle - the word 'Castellar' meaning literally, 'site of the castle'. The history of the village goes back to prehistoric times and the Bronze Age, after which the place became a medieval fortress. The prehistoric presence is still evident in the many caves around the area, where enthusiasts can see the wonderful cave drawings as proof of its heritage. It played an important role in the wars between the Spanish and the Muslims. In such a high up advantageous strategic position, peoples of many cultures wanted to control this strong vantage point.
In Gaucin vindt men het zeer sfeervolle Hotel Rural / Restaurant La Fructuosa . Dit mooie hotel in een omgebouwde "wijnfabriek" is een bezoekje meer dan waard. Voor meer informatie, klik hier.
Gaucin is a spectacularly beautiful mountain village commanding sweeping views to Gibraltar and the Rif mountains of North Africa. The village is situated against the looming dark backdrop of the Serranía de Ronda where, depending on the time of year, you can enjoy an Impressionist paint palette of colour: brilliant brush strokes of red poppies, yellow mimosa, wild orchids, tempered by the cool green of olive groves and occasional splash of pale pink almond blossom.
Gaucin has a population of only 2000 and is perched 626 metres above sea level. Like so much of Andalucia, it has had a fascinating, if tumultuous history. Derived from the Arab word, guazan (strong rock), the village is perched on the crest of the Sierra del Hacho, and due to its key strategic position was once a major Roman settlement. Its magnificent castle, Castillo del Aguila (Eagle's Castle) dates from this era and was later expanded by the Arabs into a fortress. As one would expect from the name, it is not unusual to see eagles circling the towers here, while kestrels regularly nest in the walls of the mediaeval convent.
The centre of the village is a tangle of narrow, twisting streets and was once a haven for brandy and tobacco smugglers who travelled through the surrounding hills. Up until recently, most houses had no running water and one light bulb. A far cry from the refurbished houses today which boast every mod con. The locals are apparently somewhat bemused by the mad foreigners who insist on keeping the old beams and Ronda tiled floors!
Ronda is one of Andalucia's loveliest towns, steeped in history. It stands on a towering plateau in the mountains of Malaga Province, and is famous through Spain for the plunging river gorge which divides the medieval from the 18th century parts of the town. This gorge is known as "El Tajo" - The Cliff and is spanned by a stone bridge, which once housed a prison. Visitors love to peer down into the gorge, to see the waters of the River Guadalevín.
Ronda is also famous for its bullring, the oldest, and the most beautiful one in Spain; the arena itself is also the country's largest
Ronda stands on a mighty promontory, or outcropping, which made it impregnable to the Christian armies until the very last years of the re-conquest. This plateau is slashed into two main quarters by a deep cleft in the rock, spanned by the 18th century "Puente Nuevo" or New Bridge, which is the chief landmark for all itineraries.
Andere world-pictures pagina's / other World-pictures sites:
| Home- spanje 1 | spanje 2 | spain 3 | pagina 4 | spanje 5 | pictures 6 | spanje 7 | spanje 8 | fotos 9 | spanje 10 | spain 11 | spanje Nederlands |
23-03-2016