Almenara Tower of Calaceite

Description

It dates from the 15th century. It is a watchtower located at a height of about 40 metres, with a truncated cone shape in masonry and lime mortar, 9m high and 22.30m in circumference. The construction of these towers was very prolific during the reigns of Charles I, Philip I and Charles III, as it was their desire to control and prevent occasional incursions and attacks by Berber pirates along the coast, which led the Crown to structure this vast territory through a programme of defensive constructions, establishing an intense and omnipresent surveillance, while at the same time facilitating communication between them and the nearby towns. It forms part of the so-called coastal defence system. Located in the area of Calaceite, on the 340 national road towards Nerja, it can be seen from the road.

What to do in Torrox, Malaga

Torrox Archaeological Sites

Torrox, Malaga

Those currently referred to as Sites of Torrox-Costa were part of the Roman municipality of Caviclumwhose origin dates back to before the Augustan period, and which must have been initially a mansio (posts located on the roads to refuel the troops), which over time and as a result of the incessant traffic of goods, became an important centre of production and marketing, especially of salted fish and garum. The archaeological history of the site teaches us that what we can see today is only a small part of what the city once was.

Church of Santiago el Mayor

Torrox, Malaga

Built on the base of the old church from the middle of the 20th century, the current Church of Santiago Apóstol was built in 2007. It is also home to the venerated Virgen del Carmen, who comes out of thee in procession in the month of August during the celebration of the El Morche Fair.

The House of the Inquisition

Torrox, Malaga

In Calle Baja we find the house known as the house of the Inquisition. It is a three-storey building with an interior courtyard, and its architectural typology fits in with the buildings of the period, although it is certain that throughout history it has undergone some modifications. The wooden ceiling of Mudejar origin stands out in this building, very similar to the one in the convent of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves. It is worth mentioning the basement of the house, formed by a large number of superimposed arches that form several galleries and vaults.

San Roque Chapel

Torrox, Malaga

In a small square, Plaza de San Roque, the church of San Roque is located on a former oratory, currently out of worship. This hermitage has a neo-Mudejar style, from the 19th century, a single nave and a main chapel with a hemispherical vault on pendentives. Its façade is made of exposed brick and masonry with a gable ending in a belfry and horseshoe arch, as are the two windows on the main façade.

Picasso Gardens/Poland

Torrox, Malaga

The garden of the Casa de la Hoya was commissioned by José Sevilla Gaona to a Malaga gardener, who would later participate in the creation of the Malaga Park. This caretaker lived in the house to maintain the garden's splendour.

Originally designed in the French style, it featured trimmed hedges, exotic flowers and peacocks wandering along its paths. The garden was divided into two levels connected by the 'Jupiter path', with honeysuckle and jasmine-covered arbours, decorative fountains and a variety of fruit trees and exotic plants.

Although the garden was maintained until the 1960s, with the passing of time its species disappeared, losing this historic corner that could have been a valuable green space for Torrox.

House-Palace of La Joya/Hoya

Torrox, Malaga

The Casa de la Hoya is a stately building located between the Plaza de la Joya and the Picasso Gardens in Torrox. Although it bears the inscription "José Sevilla 1863" on its grille, its origin is earlier. It was the residence of the Sevilla family, dedicated to the export of wine and fruit, and reached its splendour after the union with the Medina family in the 19th century.

The house had more than 40 rooms, a chapel, a library and an interior courtyard whose columns now decorate the promenade of El Morche. Its extensive garden, designed by the creator of the Parque de Málaga, combined a French style with Mediterranean and tropical woodland.

It is said that King Alfonso XII may have spent the night there after the 1884 earthquakes, although there is no official proof. The building currently houses the Torrox Courts.

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