I just back from a wonderful holiday in Andalusia,Spain.
Nerja-town where we were staying.:)
Nerja (
pronounced: [ˈneɾxa]) is a municipality on the
Costa del Sol in the
province of Málaga in the autonomous community of
Andalusia in southern
Spain. It belongs to the
comarca of
La Axarquía. It is on the country's southern
Mediterranean coast, about 50 km east of
Málaga.
Under Muslim rule, its name was
Narixa, which means "abundant source" and is the origin of the current name.
Nerja has a long history, evidenced by the primitive paintings found in its famous
Nerja caves,
discovered in 1959. These caves are now believed to be just one
entrance to a linked series of potholes stretching many miles into the
mountains between Nerja and Granada, and which may yet prove to be one
of the most extensive unexplored systems in
Europe. Visitors to the caves will be able to view the remains of one of the ancient inhabitants of Nerja.
The
Romans built here three settlements, including
Detunda, of which now large remains can be seen. The area was later taken over by the
Arabs in the early 8th century. Under the
Moors, the town was known as
Narixa, which means "abundant spring", from which the present name derives.
Its agricultural and silk products are said
to have been famed throughout the Muslim world and in the markets of
Damascus as early as the 10th century.
The
Balcón de Europa, a
mirador or viewpoint which
gives stunning views across the sea, is in the centre of the old town.
Its name is popularly believed to have been coined by
King Alfonso XII,
who visited the area in 1885 following a disastrous earthquake and was
captivated by the scene. Local folklore says that he stood upon the site
where the Balcón now stands, and said "This is the balcony of Europe".
Local archive documents are said to show that its name predated this
visit, but this has not prevented the authorities from placing a
life-sized (and much photographed) statue of the king standing by the
railing.
The Balcón area was originally known as La Batería, a reference to
the gun battery which existed there in a fortified tower. This
emplacement and a similar tower nearby were destroyed during the
Peninsular War. In May 1812, the British vessels
Hyacinth,
Termagant and
Basilisk supported Spanish guerrillas on the coast of Granada, against the French. On 20 May,
Termangant or
Hyacinth
opened fire and the forts were destroyed. Two rusty guns positioned at
the end of the Balcón are reminders of these violent times. The huge
lumps of rock, the remains of La Batería, visible in the sea at the end
of the Balcón, are further evidence of this action.
More...
A few pictures from my personal archive:
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| Nerja caves | |
