There is something for everyone in Malaga, history, beaches, city culture all with a superb Mediterranean climate
3.000 years ago the Phoenicians landed in Málaga, they called it MALACA (probably from the word malac - to salt) and they used the harbour as an important centre for salting fish. They built the fortress overlooking Málaga - now replaced by the Alcazaba, the interesting archaeological museum housed in the Moorish Castle, beneath this fortress contains Phoenician pottery excavated from the fortress and nearby burial grounds.
The Greeks followed the Phoenicians in the 6th century B.C. Málaga was further developed by the Romans, who colonised Spain in 218 B.C. and stayed for more than six centuries. They enlarged the fortress and built a theatre as its base, which is now partly excavated and open to the public. Under Roman rule, Málaga prospered as a trading port, with exports of iron copper and lead from the mines in nearby Ronda, they also exported olive oil, wine and garum (a relish of pickled fish). In 711 A.D. the Moors invaded Spain and called her Al-Andalus. Málaga became a major Moorish city and port - it was the main port for Granada too, famed for Figs and Wine. Moorish ruler Yusuf I built the Gibralfaro as a defence against the Christian conquerors Isabella and Ferdinand, however the defences were not enough to keep them at bay, after a bitter seige Málaga fell to the Christians in 1487. It was one of the last cities to be taken by the Christian conquerors. After the conquest Moors in the city were persecuted, and their belongings confiscated, the city mosque was converted into a Cathedral. At this point the city fell into decline, followed by a revolt in 1568 by the Moors, which resulted in their complete expulsion from the region.
It was not until the 19th century that prosperity trully returned to Málaga, middle class families from the north brought wealth which they invested in factories, shipyards, and sugar refineries. It is from these families that the streets take their names, Larios and Heredia. Meanwhile, Málaga´s dessert wine had become the favourite tipple of Victorian ladies, and thus, wine exports soared. However the prosperity was short lived, in the early 20th century the phylloxera virus struck the vineyards and wiped put entire crops, and other industries succumbed to global competition and collapsed. The city lost its reputation in the lead up to the Civil War, when several groups of radicals started a number of revolts.
During the Civil War, the city was outwardly republican, the result of which was repression and persecution; convents and churches were burned to the ground and heavy bombing from Italian forces destroyed large portions of the city´s ancient architecture. The population of the city was also subjected to mass executions by Franco´s conquering Nationalists leaving an emotional scar on the city.
In the 1960´s things finally started to pick up again for Málaga, the city´s big break came in the form of mass tourism. The Costa del Sol became the hub of tourism in Europe and they were able to successfully exploit the boom (with disastrous ecological consequences), the AVE high speed train came to the city, connecting it to the capital Madrid in just 2 and a half hours, massively increasing the profile as a holiday destination, and the tourist industry in the area has been expanding ever since. In recent months, Málaga has made moved to improve its import/export industry by expanding and commercialising its port.
Málaga's history is so visible as you walk around the city. It does not take much imagination to whisk yourself back to Roman times at the Roman theatre, or to the Moorish Court with its cooling foundations at the Castle. Or the splendid court of Isabella and Ferdinand at the great Cathedral or nearby 16th century Palace which houses the Museum of Fine Arts.
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