It is the origin of Torre del Mar and was fundamental for the development of maritime trade in the area. Unfortunately, only some remains of walls and a circular tower integrated in a house in the current Plaza de la Axarquía remind us of the ancient fortress that arose in the Andalusian period as Mariyyat Balish, the defensive maritime point of the medina of Vélez. It appears in the memoirs of the last Zirid king of Granada, Abdallah, in the 11th century. Later, in the 12th century, it is described by the geographer al-Idrisi: 'It is on the seashore. It is small in size. Near it, to the west, the river Mallaha flows into it". In the Nasrid period it was called alcozaiba (from the Arabic al-qusayba, the citadel).