El Burgo: The Malaga village with houses built around old fortress walls

Large stretches of the castle's walls and towers have been preserved, thanks largely to the fact that, in the last two centuries, these have been used as the walls of some of the dwellings

Javier Almellones

El Burgo

Friday, 16 August 2024, 13:36

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Neither the 1755 earthquake which demolished part of its structure, nor even the attacks by Napoleon's troops in 1812, succeeded in fully demolishing this Arabic fortress in the Sierra de las Nieves.

Now known as Miraflores castle, it blends in with the neighbourhood of La Villa in El Burgo. This is the upper part of the village, in which two very distinct historical figures in the 19th century were born: Pasos Largos, considered the last Andalusian bandit, and Commander Benítez, who fought and died in the Rif War in Morocco.

Today, those who take on the climb to the top of the village by foot will find several traces of the remains of the fortress. Large stretches of its walls and towers have been preserved, thanks largely to the fact that, in the last two centuries, these have been used as the walls of some of the houses in the village. The best way to discover this blend of architectural styles is to leave your car in the lower part of the village and start climbing up Calle Calzada, which can only be walked by foot. There are steps in the middle of this road, making it easier to climb up and down.

The street leads to a house which is built partly around the structure of a tower and a partially whitewashed castle wall. A sign confirms that what is now the façade of a Burgueño house was, centuries ago, part of the village's fortress. The treasure hunt for castle remains continues along Calle Escaloncitos and Calle Botica. Although parallel to Calle Calzada, they are relatively far apart, giving an idea of the old castle's magnitude.

Thanks to this vastness, parts of its walls, which may even have Roman foundations, can still be seen today. The village is also planning on making these even more visible. Some remains can be seen just behind the church of La Encarnación. The viewpoint to the right of the church is the best place to spot some of the fortress's most important elements. The church itself was built on the site of a former mosque.

To get a clearer idea of the castle's position, drive away from the town centre in the direction of Yunquera. Another option is to walk to the Las Parteras viewpoint, or even to sit at the terrace of the famous Venta El Yoni restaurant, which has an exceptional view of the village and the river Turón. From there, you can see evidence of a once-imposing fortress blended into the Sierra de las Nieves.

The most critical period of this castle's history was the revolt of Omar Ben Hafsun at the end of the 9th century. It was captured by the Caliph Abderramán III himself in the so-called Turrus campaign. Between the 14th and 15th centuries it passed from Muslim to Christian hands several times, due to its border location. It was finally surrendered to the Catholic Monarchs when Ronda fell in 1485.

Until the 18th century, the fortress remained in good condition, before an earthquake partially destroyed it. Despite this, Napoleon's troops used it as a refuge in 1812, but it was almost completely demolished when they left it.

The bridges over the river Turón, which runs through the village, are an enticing reason to walk along the Paseo de las Lavanderas. Puente Viejo is one of the narrowest bridges in Malaga province. Another, on the way to Ardales, boasts Roman foundations.

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