Ronda

Ronda is the capital of the Serrania (Mountain range) comprising 27 municipalities that cover an area of 1,500 square kilometres and with a population of about 65,000, including the almost 40,000 that live in Ronda itself. There are various ways to get there from Malaga, the most direct route being along the Costa del Sol to San Pedro Alcántara, then turning up on the Ronda road, a total distance of 110 kilometres. The well-surfaced but winding road reaches a height of 744 metres above sea level to take us to the town. Another road goes through Yunquera and El Burgo, shorter at 96 kilometres from Malaga, while the longest way is by the new Cártama road that brings us first to Ardales, turning off before reaching Campillos to get to Ronda, the distance being 122 kilometres. Although longer, this is an excellent road. Ronda has always been an important town, situated as it is on the cross roads between the provinces of Malaga and Cadiz, although its time of greatest glory was in the 17th and 18th centuries. It suffered badly during the War of Independence against the French, much property being destroyed when the French troops left and with much loss of life. The town was the seat of Blas Infante's Andalusian Congress of 1918, where the concept of Andalusian nationalism was born and the Andalusian hymn and regional flag were first presented in public. The history of the town goes back to neolithic times, with megalithic monuments from the Bronze Age like the burial grounds of La Planilla still in existence. Other important sites include the remains of the Theatre of Acinipo, which dates from the Celtic period; the remains of the Moorish baths and the Puerta de la Ecijara. The origin of the town's name, in fact, comes from this period, the expression Izna Rand Onda meaning the Castle of Laurel.

Places to visit
Ruins of Acinipo
There are a number of different routes one can take to see the town, one good way to begin being a trip through the Ruins of Acinipo or Ronda La Vieja (Old Ronda). Acinipo became one of the most important towns in Bética and Arunda, situated 20 kilometres from the present town on the Seville road. The ruins are on a plateau of 980 metres high, and are easily spotted for the large stone blocks and the remains of construction work on the site. The theatre is in a good state of conservation, and its size gives us some idea of how big this Roman city was. Coins, inscriptions and various architectural elements have been found in and around the site.
Urban and monumental Ronda
The town has a number of different areas, easily distinguished one from the other. The town centre is made up of Las Imágenes, the Puente Nuevo and the area known as La Ciudad, or the ancient Medina, the Moorish market area. From the historic point of view, this is the most important area of the town. The second area is the San Francisco barrio, and the third area is the Mercadillo, on the other side of the river Guadalevín, where an industrial estate has been built recently. Three bridges were built over this river, the two oldest being in the lower part of the river, and the third being built at the end of the 18th century.
The Lara Museum
This museum of art and objects is situated in the Casa Palacio de los Condes de La Conquista, (on calle Armiñán), which has recuperated its old aristocratic style on being converted into one of the most interesting museums in the province. On show here are more than 2,000 pieces from the worlds of communication, art, science, archaeology and popular arts. There are a total of nine collections in the museum.
Religious architecture
Ronda has a large number of religious buildings, the most interesting being the 15th and early 16th century churches of Nuestra Señora de Gracia and Espíritu Santo, the building of which was ordered by the Catholic Monarchs on the ground that the octagonal square used by the Catholic defence forces had been. One of the oldest of the town's religious buildings is the Church of the Santa María de la Encarnación la Mayor. These are only a few of the 20 religious buildings - mostly churches and convents - to be found in Ronda.
Church of the Espíritu Santo
Ronda was conquered by the Catholic Monarchs on May 22nd, 1485, and the Church of the Espíritu Santo was one of the first to be built to cater for the spiritual needs of the new Christian population, and those who would be converted. It was named for the day on which the town was captured, Pascua del Espíritu Santo, and built on the ruins of an old mosque between the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th century. The style is transitional Gothic-Renaissance. It was made a parish in 1534, and while work was being carried out on the Colegiata de Santa María de la Encarnación, it fulfilled the function of the canonical college. The church is built of stone in a single nave, with a raised choir. The nave is divided into three sections, each vaulted in the shape of the cross. There are rectangular chapels off the third section of the nave, with another chapel on the other side of the central nave, separated by semicircular arches, the ceilings again vaulted in the shape of the cross. A third chapel leads to the exterior. The entrance to the main chapel is through a semicircular triumphal arch supported by large pillars, while the ceiling is an octagonal-shaped Baroque vault with an eight-point star in the centre. A Baroque altarpiece sits in the wall, along with a painting from the late 17th century Seville School. The theme is the Holy Spirit, with the apostles receiving the gift of speech in different languages in order to preach the work of God all over the world. Beneath this there is a Virgen de la Antigua, a 19th century copy. Over the altar there are three heraldic stone shapes, two of them from the time of Fray Bernardo Manrique (1541-1564), then bishop, and the other showing the principal coat-of-arms of Asturias. There are two windows in the high part of the walls, and a door that leads to the sacristy. The sacristy houses two important works: a Saint Joseph with the Child Jesus and Saint Ann with the Virgin, both done in the final third of the 17th century by painters closely associated with the painter Murillo. The exterior presents a fortified appearance common at the time, with buttresses complementing the interior arches of the nave. On both sides are the chapels in the shape of the cross, lower than the central nave. The steeple is made in two storeys with a bell tower, and later decorative additions in the Baroque style. The doorway is simple, framed in two large buttresses with pinnacles. It has a semicircular archway with the only elements in the church of Mudejar design on it. Over the arch is a niche holding the dove of the Holy Spirit. There is an arched window that is reminiscent of the Gothic style, and the façade has a pediment on its central part. At the moment the gold and silverwork, liturgical costumes and documents relating the church are on exhibition in different parts of the building.
The Bandolero Museum
This museum is situated a late 19th century house in the historic centre of the town, and within 150 metres of it one can find almost all the best-known monuments in Ronda. C/Armiñán, 65. Tel: 952 877 785. More information

Accommodation :
Hotel El Horcajo (3*). Ctra. Ronda-Zahara de la Sierra, s/n. Tel: 952 184 080.
Hotel Alavera (2*). C/San Miguel, s/n. Tel: 952 879 143.
Hostal Andalucía. Avda. Martínez Astein, 19. Teléfono 952 875 450.
Hostal Fuente de la Higuera. Partido de los Frontones. Tel: 952 114 355.
Hostal Rondasol. C/Almendra, 11. Tel: 952 874 497.
Pensión La Purísima. C/Sevilla, 10. Tel: 952 871 050.
Camping El Sur. Ctra. Algeciras, Km.1,5. Tel: 952 875 939.
Camping El Abogao. Ctra. Campillos, Km.5. Tel: 952 875 844.

Where to Eat
Restaurante Duquesa de Parcent. C/Tenorio, 12. Tel: 952 190 835.
Restaurante Alhambra. C/Pedro Romero, 9. Tel: 952 879 934.
Restaurante Alavera. C/San Miguel, s/n. Tel: 952 879 143.
Restaurante Don Javier. C/Virgen de la Paz, 7. Tel: 952 872 020.
Restaurante Cervecería Camelot. C/Sevilla, 45. Tel: 952 879 312. Internet
Bar-Restaurante La Venta. Ctra. El Burgo, Km.4. Tel: 952 877 929.
Bar-Restaurante El Torero. C/Nueva, 8. Tel: 952 877 169.
Cafetería Hnos.Pérez. Specialising in hot tapas and churros. C/Espinillos, 14.Tel: 952 871 147.

PROVINCE : Málaga

DISTANCE FROM THE CAPITAL (km) : 113

DISTANCE FROM Málaga (km) : 113

ALTITUDE ABOVE SEA LEVEL (m) : 723

PLUVIOMETRÍA (l/m2) : 648

AREA (km2) : 481

Nº OF INHABITANTS : 33806

NAME FOR PEOPLE : Rondeños

POSTCODE : 29400

PHONE NUMBER FOR INFORMATION : Tourist Office: 952-87-84-50