Plaza del Socorro

Visitors to Ronda are often confused about why our central plaza features a statue of a semi-naked man with two lions by his side and a couple of pillars behind him. What is their significance, and why do so many people take photos of the fountain?

The answer lies in Andalusian nationalism and one of the most important events in recent Andalusian political history, the Assembly of Ronda in 1918 when the father of Andalusian nationalism, Blas Infante, unfurled the flag and symbols of Andalusia whilst standing on the first floor balcony of the ‘Circulo de Artistas’; the building directly behind the fountain with red CA lettering above the windows.

Andalusians are justifiably proud of their history and heritage, and the establishment of a national movement was widely applauded in the early 20th century, eventually leading to Andalusia being recognised as one of Spain’s national communities, and allowing the Andalusian parliament a lot more autonomy than most regions of Spain.

Whilst it may not be immediately obvious, the statue in the fountain is Hercules, with the pillars of Hercules behind him. He is holding onto two lions that he aims to tame, though taming two lions was never one of the tasks set for Hercules. Blas Infante designed the coat of arms, flag, and symbols of Andalusia, so it is probable the lions have another significance unique to Infante’s ideal of Andalusia.

To fully appreciate the significance of Hercule’s fountain and the history of the plaza, step back a bit and imagine the plaza full of cheering folk looking hopefully up as Blas Infante, a hero in his day presented the symbols to the movers and shakers of early 20th century Andalusia, and joyful Rondeños.

Then take a walk past the bullring to the lookout over the tajo, and there you’ll see a life size statue of Infante himself. Sadly Blas Infante’s success in Andalusia made him a target during the civil war, and when Sevilla fell to Franco’s forces, he and his compatriots were rounded up, driven into the countryside and summarily executed, dealing a terrible blow to Andalusian autonomy.

When Spain regained her democratic foundations in the late 1970s Andalusia missed out on full autonomy until 1.5 million Andalusians took to the streets to demand that the Andalusian nation be treated the same as Catalonia, the Basque Country, and Galicia.

A statue, a fountain, and a balcony in Ronda are still regarded as amongst the most important symbols of Andalusian patrimony, and now you know why.

Francisco Cañestro Opens the Arab Baths

RMR Photo Contest

Today the Real Maestranza de Ronda, owners of the iconic bullring launched a competition to find the best photographs inside or outside the bullring which they plan to use as part of the 225 year anniversary of its construction.

A special Flickr group has been created for photographers to submit their best photos of the Plaza de Toros, which can be scenic, action photos of taurino events, even photoshopped for creativity. As long as the photo can be said to be representative of the iconology or cultural importance of the building they will be accepted into the competition.

This is a contest for all levels and abilities, their only request is that the best quality you have be submitted for the contest. Residents and visitors to the city are all eligible to enter submissions, and there is no limit to the number of photos that can be added to the Flickr group, though photos showing identifiable faces will need a model release form before the photos can be used by the RMR in their publicity.

Prizes will be awarded every month until the 15th December 2010, with the top photographer each month receiving 200€, and a final prize of 400€ for the grand finale to be announced after the competition has closed. You can read the complete terms and conditions of the contest here.

So, dig out your best photos and get submitting on the official competition page on Flickr this is a unique opportunity to have your Plaza de Toros photos accepted into a Ronda exhibition that will be open to the public to see. Good luck.

Ronda's new gate

Today in Ronda News, the city now has a new gate which will welcome visitors to the city, and is the first gate installed since the middle of the 18th century, although the new gate is fittingly more modern as Ronda breaks the shackles of the past and becomes a modern European city.

Designed and built by the students of the Employment Workshop “Arunda”, the  gates are made of recycled metals salvaged in Ronda and stand four metres high. The gates are located in the park being developed next to Ronda’s Palace of Justice at the end of Avenida de Málaga.

The students are all unemployed people learning a new skill, and this project is described as having been hugely motivational, with most putting in extra hours to see the gates completed to a high standard.

Ronda’s mayor Antonio Marín Lara, and the delegate for Employment Josefa Valley were on hand to congratulate the students for their efforts.

In the coming weeks the new parkland will be completed, and will showcase the gates as well as  a new fountain. It is hoped the area will be a welcoming sight for visitors to the city, as well as an attractive space for residents in surrounding streets to relax.

Rueda in Plaza de Toros

The Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Ronda occupies a very special place in modern Spanish culture and history as the home of the Rondeño style of bullfighting and also of the Real Maestranza De Caballería De Ronda. The bullring was built entirely of stone in the 18th century, during the golden years of Pedro Romero’s reign as champion bullfighter.

Home to the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda, Spain’s oldest and most noble order of horsemanship, an order that traces its heritage back to 1485, and the year the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella defeated the Moors in Ronda, thus bringing the city back under Christian rule after 773 years of Islamic rule.

Many tourist guides will tell you the Ronda bullring is the oldest and largest in Spain, in fact the story is confusing. Our little bullring only has seating for 5,000 spectators, hardly the largest in the world, but the rueda, which is the large round circle of sand, is the largest in the world at 66m, making it 6m larger than Spain’s biggest bullring, the Plaza Toros Las Ventas in Madrid.

The bullring in Sevilla is considered older having commenced construction in 1761, and was completed in 1785, compared to Ronda’s commencement in 1779 and completion in 1784, though purists agree Ronda’s bullring should be entitled to the crown since it was first to stage a corrida. However, in May of 1784 during the first inaugural corrida to be held in Ronda’s Plaza de Toros, part of the stand collapsed forcing its closure until repairs could be made.

Statue and Side of Bullring

The second inaugural corrida occurred on May 19th 1785 and featured Pedro Romero and his greatest rival in the ring Pepe Hillo, by all accounts a day to be remembered in Ronda as one of one of bullfightings greatest moments. All of Ronda’s most noble families were in attendance, and the town was bedecked in flags while in the streets a great party was going on.

Ronda’s bullring, whilst perhaps not the oldest in Spain is definitely the oldest bullring constructed entirely of stone, most others being constructed with a combination of stone and brick. Our bullring, designed by José Martín de Aldehuela is unique in having all of the seating under cover. The stands were constructed in two levels of seating of 5 raised rows per level and 136 Tuscan sandstone columns forming 68 arches provide support for the top level of seating and the roof of the Plaza de Toros.

The main entrance to the bullring, completed in 1788, four years after the rueda and seating was constructed, was designed and built by a Rondeño, and master stonemason, Juan Lamas. The design features two tall tuscan columns with the royal shield of Spain at the top centre surrounded by baroque edging. The main door is large enough for horses and carriages to enter the rueda, and above the door is a central balcony featuring wrought iron metalwork with imagery that evokes the culture of bullfighting.

In 1923, when the original Espinel theatre was constructed in Plaza Blas Infante, the main entrance of the Plaza de Toros was relocated to Virgen de la Paz, where it still stands today across the street from the Restaurante Pedro Romero.

In the 1980s the old Espinel theatre was demolished and a new theatre built in Alameda Park. In July 2009, when the car park next to the Plaza de Toros finally closed, a competition to design new gardens that suit the era was organised. At the same time, historians in Ronda suggested moving the entrance back to it’s original location.

During the Feria Goyesca held in the second week of September, an event created by Ronda’s bullfighting maestro Antonio Ordoñez, a bullfight in honour of Pedro Romero is held, often including members of the Ordoñez family, Ronda’s second bullfighting dynasty. The bullfighters and their assistants all wear costumes reminiscent of those worn by characters appearing in Goya’s paintings, whilst the ladies delight in showing themselves off in the most gorgeous dresses.

The museum in Ronda’s Plaza de Toros, the Museo Taurino, contains many of the most important outfits and bullfighting regalia from the last two centuries, as well as an extensive collection of weapons used by the Real Maestranza during Spain’s many wars.

Plaza de Toros Opening Times

Daily from 10am till 8pm (10:00 till 20:00)
GPS Location
Latitude: 36.742065 (36° 44′ 31.43” N)
Longitude: -5.167544 (5° 10′ 3.16” W)

Price of Entry
6€ individual
5€ if part of a group of 15 or more
4€ under 16 years old

Ocho Caños - Eight Spout Fountain

The eight spout fountain in front of the Church of our Father Jesus was built during the 1700s under the reign of Carlos III. Back in those days the Padre Jesus district of Ronda was its commercial centre. Many of the buildings around the church and fountain were home to bars and inns, and the fountain was considered an essential addition.

Interestingly, the fountain was originally fed by water from the Hidalga Aquaduct on the Ronda-El Burgo road because pumping water from the Guadalevin river in the gorge was considered impractical.

Interested in Opera? You are now standing on the exact spot where Francisco Rossi filmed Bizet’s opera Carmen starring Placido Domingo and Julia Migenes. The opera described the mixed up loves and fortunes of two women, a soldier and a bullfighting bandit during the time of Napoleon’s rule over Spain, and it is on the night of Spain’s liberation from French rule that the final tragedy of the Opera, the death of Carmen occurs.

Felipe V Arch

Probably every visitor to Ronda passes under this arch on their way from La Ciudad into Padre Jesus or the other way. Back in the 18th century until the completion of the Puente Nuevo, the arch was the main entrance into La Ciudad, and was hurriedly built after the collapse of the old Arab gate in 1742.

The arch itself is only one part of that construction, the remainder being the road which was widened and the slope made more gentle. It can’t be seen in this photo, but the side of the arch facing into Padre Jesus is adorned with the arms of the house of Bourbon.

Felipe V, the first Bourbon King of Spain, and a man known to have lived his life with one eye on the throne of France actually managed to achieve a fair bit for Spain, including rebuilding the economy and fortunes of Spain after the disastrous losses in the War of Succession, so it seems fitting that the arch, which was needed because traffic and trade in Ronda was booming should have been named after the King.

Of course in Felipe’s era, every town collected taxes from merchants and travellers as they entered the city walls, some of which was used by the town fathers to improve the city, and part of which was sent to the chancellery, perhaps better known as the king’s tax inspector.

Mondragón Palace

The Mondragón Palace is one of Ronda’s most visited buildings, not only because it houses the Municipal Museum, but mostly for it’s Moorish courtyards and gardens that evoke memories of kings and governors who called Ronda home.

The palace was the home of the Moorish King Abomelic I (also known as Abomelic Abd al-Malik, and in some history books as Abbel Mallek), who reigned all too briefly yet initiated a golden age in the city and started large construction projects. It is likely the palace already existed when Abomelic first arrived in Andalusia, with most experts seeming to agree the years 1306-1314 as likely dates of construction. Be sure to read our history of Ronda in Moorish times for more information.

After Abomelic’s defeat at the hands of Alfonso XI, the city came under the direct control of the Nasrid dynasty in Granada, whilst the Mondragón Palace assumed importance as the home of the Grenadian governors of Ronda prior to the reconquest of 1485, including the very last governor Hamet el Zegri.

The palace was even used by Ferdinand II after conquering Ronda in 1485, but is most remembered for supposedly hosting both Ferdinand and his incredibly popular spouse Isabella I when they stayed in Ronda during the Moorish rebellion of 1501. In fact there is no historical evidence that Isabella ever visited Ronda, certainly no letters have ever been uncovered addressed from her in Ronda.

FerdinandII awarded the palace in 1491 to Don Alonso de Valenzuela, a prominent family from Sevilla, for services rendered to the Spanish crown during the war of reconquest, The de Valenzuela family set about remodelling the palace, and almost all of the above ground construction being replaced

In 1569, Captain Don Melchor de Mondragón who was instrumental in putting down a Muslim rebellion at Istán a small village near Málaga was awarded family arms by Felipe II, and the ownership of the palace in Ronda along with lands in the surrounding area. The arms remain above the main entrance to this day.

The garden, and ground floor patios are largely as they were during Moorish times, though in respect of the central courtyard (inside the main entrance), and the private courtyard leading to the offices of the tourism staff, nothing of Moorish decoration remains. The large rear courtyard still retains impressive Moorish tiling and Arabic script, leading directly to the water garden, a miniature of the one found in Granada’s Alhambra.

By the late 16th century the palace was once again owned by the de Valenzuela family, though in a heated brawl in the city in the early 1600s Don Francisco de Valenzuela killed another gentleman in Ronda and was forced to flee to Naples where he married and bore a son, Don Fernando de Valenzuela (1630-1692), a man who during his lifetime became one of Spain’s most controversial court figures. In the 1670s Don Fernando, became an influential man, supposedly by virtue of being the Queen Regent Mariana’s lover after the death of her husband Philip II of Spain.

In 1675 Don Fernando was awarded the grandeeship Marquis de Villasierra, and then in 1677 made Prime Minister of Spain, and it was around this time the Palace assumed it’s other lesser known name Palacio Marques de Villasierra. By 1679 Don Fernando had been disgraced and exiled to the Philippines, dying years later in Mexico having never been allowed to return to Spain.

Mondragón Palace Opening Times

Monday to Friday from 9am till 7pm (09:00 till 19:00)
Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays 10am till 3pm (10:00 till 15:00)

GPS Location
Latitude: 36.737775 (36° 44′ 15.99” N)
Longitude: -5.166643 (5° 9′ 59.91” W)

Price of Entry
3€ individual
1.50€ if part of a group or ten or more, or children

Casa del Gigante Plasterwork

The House of the Giant, otherwise known as the Casa del Gigante in Ronda’s old city is one of the most complete examples of Nasrid architecture outside of Granada and definitely a destination that should be on your list of places to see in Ronda.

Located in a quiet plaza behind the Santa Maria La Mayor church, and directly across from the Museo Peinado, the Casa del Gigante is just 2 minutes walk from the Puente Nuevo and Plaza d’España, and not too far from the Mondragon Palace. A statue of Vincent Espinel is located directly in front of the entrance to the House of the Giant. The palace was already more than 100 years old at the time of the fall of Ronda to Ferdinand’s army in 1485 and apart from some redecorating in the 17th century is still largely complete as a Moorish building.

This part of Ronda was originally filled with smaller medieval houses but in the 14th century the area was demolished, this happened around the time Ronda had become an important city in Moorish Andalucia, and most likely under the rule of the King Abomolec. A nobel court developed in Ronda so space for their homes was required and the area around where the Casa del Gigante is located was ideal being very close to the royal court.

The current name Casa del Gigante refers to the Phoenician-Hittite statue sitting atop the front courtyard wall, although this is just a copy, the original is located inside the main hall of the building. Phoenician people founded nearby Acinipo long before Roman and Moorish influence arrived.

The statue of El Gigante is believed to have been part of a pair found in the Barrio San Francisco during the 16th century, a time when that part of Ronda was undergoing extensive rebuilding. Of course another legend has it that El Gigante was recovered during Moorish times by the original builder of the house. We’ll never know the truth and will just have to keep guessing.

The original entrance to the house is no longer possible to use, a neighbouring property was built in later years that completely blocked the entrance, so we must enter through the courtyard, which in former times was sealed. Entering the Casa del Gigante courtyard finds the visitor in a small courtyard with a large orange tree taking pride of place. The palace itself is built around a second inner courtyard which is only accessible after entering the house, and from which all other rooms lead. The walls still show vestiges of Arabic tiles containing poetry and verses from the Koran.

These days the house is a small museum, on the top floor is a 10 minute video presentation describing the history of Ronda over the last 5,000 years, whilst on the ground floor we have the inner courtyard and ponds, the main hall containing the Gigante statue and a beautifully restored Nasrid coffered ceiling, and upstairs, a small museum showing some of the restoration undertaken in the Casa del Gigante.

Casa del Gigante Opening Times

Autumn and Winter
Monday to Friday 10am till 6pm (10:00-18:00)
Saturdays 10am till 1.45pm (10:00-13:45) then 3pm till 6pm (15:00-18:00)
Sundays and Public holidays 10am – 3pm (10:00 – 15:00)

Spring and Summer
Monday to Friday 10am till 7pm (10:00-19:00)
Saturdays 10am till 1.45pm (10:00-13:45) then 3pm till 6pm (15:00-18:00)
Sundays and Public holidays 10am – 3pm (10:00 – 15:00)

GPS Location
Latitude: 36.738428 (36° 44′ 18.34” N)
Longitude: -5.165699 (5° 9′ 56.52” W)

Price of Entry
2€ per individual
1€ if part of a group of 10 or more, and children
Free if resident in Ronda

Interior of Ronda's Arab Baths

The Arab Baths, known in Spanish as the Baños Arabes are one of Ronda’s most important tourist attractions, and some argue more important than the unquestionably beautiful Puente Nuevo, or Ronda’s other claim to fame, the Plaza de Toros, home of Ronda’s bullfighting tradition.

Ronda’s Arab Baths are similar to the design perfected by the Romans, except that steam was used to sweat out pollutants from the body rather than soaking in hot water as the Romans used. The Moors of Spain were also Muslim, so religious traditions were important, a Mosque was located next to the baths, and the baths were more than just a sanitary facility; they were also a place where locals and visitors alike would stop to purify and cleanse their bodies before entering the Mosque to purify their souls.

In Moorish times the main entrance to the Medina of Ronda was located next to the Baños Arabes, the Puente Arabe may have been built around the same time as the Arab Baths, along with a high defensive wall which no longer exists though its foundation stones can still be seen. In those times the baths were outside the walls of the city, and set to the side of the main entrance gate, with a small doorway built into the city walls that connected to a passageway leading to the entrance of the baths.

From the main entrance, visitors will find themselves overlooking the roof of Arab Baths, you’ll see short humps embedded in the ground and covered with alien stalks on which rest round glass panels. These are the skylights, and the glass protects the chambers below from rain damage.

The baths were built partially underground to better control the temperature of the building. Hot fires in the furnace room closest to the water entering from the aqueduct would heat the water, and channel hot steam under the floor of the rooms in terracotta channels (atanores) of the rooms, and then exit from chimneys located before it reached the cold rooms.

Entering the baths, descend into the first chamber which these days has no roof, and in Moorish times was the reception area for the baths, though in Arabic known as the al-bayt al-maslaj, the changing room. It has a central pool about two and a half metres across, and a series of brick arches surrounding the pool.

These arches supported a domed ceiling with star shaped skylights, while the pool itself was a drinking fountain and not a bath as we might think. Around the edges of this room were wooden benches for chatting and socialising, and against the back wall a series of screens that formed changing rooms. Toilets were also located in the first chamber.

Architecture of the Arab Baths

Beside the first ruined chamber is a doorway which leads into a small room with pools at each end. This was the cold room, al-bayt al-barid, where people could relax and cool down before entering the warm and hot rooms again. Part of the tradition of these baths was to spend several hours here, and cleansing the body several times over.

For many of Ronda’s Moorish citizens a trip to the baths would not have been a daily ritual, but even if it was, this was medieval Ronda’s equivalent of our evening television where people would go to meet friends. Read about the history of Ronda’s Arab Baths.

The next room the largest of the covered chambers, the warm room, al-bayt al-wastami, and which in Moorish times was the warm room where people could relax and enjoy a massage, be pampered with perfumes, or sit in a pool of slightly warm water. This room was warm but not steamy. Mats and cushions were available to use, as well as wooden benches around the walls, and several tables for massage and therapeutic treatments by trained slaves were situated next to some of the columns.

The hot room, al-bayt al-sajun, which today is the room with the animated presentation, is the last room entered by the public, and was the case in Moorish times as well. This room has a pool at one end where water from the aqueduct was splashed over the hot floor creating a very humid and steamy atmosphere in the room.

The woodshed, al-furn, the far room in the Arab Baths and which isn’t open to today’s visitors, is where the water from the aqueduct arrived, and where wood would be unloaded from carts into a storage area. In this room the great fires were stoked in covered ovens with vented openings that kept the fire alive. At the end of this room, and at the back of the hot room, was an opening that allowed staff and slaves to enter and leave the Hammam.

Arab Baths Opening Times

Autumn and Winter
Monday to Friday 10am till 6pm (10:00-18:00)
Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays 10am till 3pm (10:00-15:00)

Spring and Summer
Monday to Friday 10am till 7pm (10:00-19:00)
Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays 10am till 3pm (10:00-15:00)

GPS Location
Latitude: 36.738893 (36° 44′ 20.01” N)
Longitude: -5.162914 (5° 9′ 46.49” W)

Price of Entry
3€ per individual
1.50€ if part of a group of 10 or more, and children
Free on Sunday