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Credits: Photographs, research and writing by Matthew Falcus |
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Ronda Andalucia,
Introduction to Ronda Perched high on a plateau and straddling a 100-metre deep gorge, you'll be forgiven for thinking Ronda is a town only for those with a head for heights. But this beautiful town situated less than an hour inland from Malaga and the Costa del Sol, and offering some of Spain's most important history, is something that should be experienced by everyone at least once in their lives.
The town's roots lie in the stone ages, with local caves containing art from this period. The Romans also left their mark, with the archeological remains of the town of Acinipo nearby. However, it was the Arabic Moors who had the greatest effect on Ronda. This muslim period of the town's history influenced much of the architecture and gastronomy you will experience in the town. In 1485 the Catholic Kings took over and for the next 300 years reorganised the town into its current form. It was then, in the 18th-century, that the defining emblems of the town were built - the New Bridge, and the Bullring. The former is a magnificent structure spanning the gorge, built in a beautifully ornate style. The latter is Spain's oldest surviving bullring. The culture that sprung up in the town through the following two centuries was awash with banditry, bullfighting, aristocrats and eccentrics. Orson Welles had his ashes buried here, Hemmingway came here to watch the bull fights, and Rainer Maria Rilke wrote his Spanish Elegies here. Today Ronda is a place to sample tapas bars, architecture and magnificent views. True, the tourist trail is catered for in many souvenir shops and ice cream stalls. But it is not overpowering and can be avoided easily.
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