Ronda. A Stunning Bridge & Beautiful Andalusian Town.

Ronda, Málaga. A Stunning Bridge & Beautiful Andalusian Town.  The view of Puente Nuevo and into El Tajo Gorge is one that will last a lifetime!  A tiny town but deeply historic piece of Andalucía. Great restaurants overlooking the gorge. Stay for a night, maybe two if you’re not in a hurry.

Ronda in All its Splendour

Ronda is a hidden gem of a town in the province of Málaga in Spain, about 100km west of Málaga city, within the autonomous community of Andalusia.  Around the city are remains of prehistoric settlements dating to the Neolithic Age, including the rock paintings of Cueva de la Pileta.

Ronda was, nevertheless, first settled by the ancient Celts, who predicted it Arunda from the 6th century BC. Later Phoenician settlers found themselves nearby to located Acinipo. The existing Ronda is of Roman origins, having been founded as a fortified post from the Second Punic War, by Scipio Africanus.

• Architecture of Ronda, Stunning Examples of Moorish & Andalucian Architecture
  As with many towns and cities in Andalucia, stunning architecture abounds! From the Moorish influences dating back to the 9th century, right up to the modern, Andalucia style buildings, Ronda will excite every fan of architecture!
• Nuestra Señora del Socorro – Church of Socorro (Help), Ronda
  The 'Iglesia del Socorro de Ronda' (the Church of Socorro) is located right in the main square of the town and is a lot younger than it might appear, having been built in 1956.  It's one of the main attractions on the tourist trail, and rightly so, it's a very nice Spanish catholic church, typical of the local architecture.
• Orson Welles in Ronda
  Orson Welles in Ronda.  “A man does not belong to the place he was born in, but to the place he chooses to die.” A street named after him and a memorial to Orson Welles is unveiled in Ronda on Sept. 5, 2015.
• Plaza de Toros Bullring, Ronda – The Birthplace of the Modern Spanish Bullfight
  The Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Ronda occupies a very special place in modern Spanish culture and history as the home of the Rondeño style of bullfighting and also of the Real Maestranza De Caballería De Ronda. The bullring was built entirely of stone in the 18th century, during the golden years of Pedro Romero’s reign as a champion bullfighter.
• Puente Nuevo – ‘The New Bridge’ – in Ronda, An Incredible 400 Foot Construction
  Puente Nuevo – ‘The New Bridge’ – in Ronda, An Incredible 400 Foot Construction spanning the El Tajo Gorge & Guadalevín River. If you visit Ronda, you'd mad to miss it!

Nuestra Señora del Socorro – Church of Socorro in Ronda

The ‘Iglesia del Socorro de Ronda’ (the Church of Socorro) is located right in the main square of the town and is a lot younger than it might appear, having been built in 1956.  It’s one of the main attractions on the tourist trail, and rightly so, it’s a very nice Spanish catholic church, typical of the local architecture.  The plaza in front of the church is a great place to relax with a cold drink and a taste of the local tapas and seafoods.

The land on which the church is built is rich in history, starting back in the 1500s as a chapel, then later a church, a hospital for the poor and pilgrims and even a Muslim temple.

Plaza del Socorro

Right in the heart of the New Town of Ronda, the Plaza del Socorro is one of the most iconic areas of the town, with the beautiful church at the centre and a variety of bars and restaurants around the square that give it a lively and friendly atmosphere.  It’s a fantastic place to eat out and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere of Ronda.

Puente Nuevo – ‘The New Bridge’ – An Incredible Construction

It’s a stunning bridge, crossing the huge El Tajo chasm and it certainly looks amazing!

The Puente Nuevo or “New Bridge” is the most recent and largest of three bridges spanning the almost 400-foot chasm of the Guadalevín River, running right through the city of Ronda in Andalucia. The bridge was finished in 1793 and designed by architect José Martin de Aldehuela.

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Construction of the bridge started in 1759 and took over 30 years to complete. There is a chamber right above the central arch that, over the years, has been used for a variety of purposes, including a prison during the civil war, with both sides using the prison as a torture chamber for captured prisoners. Some were even killed by being thrown from the windows, to crash on the rocks at the bottom of the gorge.  People can certainly be horrible to each other.  You can access the chamber through a square building that was once the guard-house and now contains an exhibition describing the bridge’s history and construction.

The bridge certainly isn’t only reason to visit historic Ronda, but you’d be mad to miss if you do visit!

Ronda Bull Ring

“The birthplace of the modern Spanish bullfight.”

The Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Ronda occupies a very special place in modern Spanish culture and history as the home of the Rondeño style of bullfighting and also of the Real Maestranza De Caballería De Ronda. The bullring was built entirely of stone in the 18th century, during the golden years of Pedro Romero’s reign as a champion bullfighter.

The bullring is home to the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda, Spain’s oldest and most noble order of horsemanship and an order that traces its heritage back to 1485. This was the year that the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella defeated the Moors in Ronda, thus bringing the city back under Christian rule after 773 years of Islamic rule.

The Architecture of Ronda

As with many towns and cities in Andalucia, stunning architecture abounds!  From the Moorish influences dating back to the 9th century, right up to the modern, Andalucia style buildings, Ronda will excite every fan of architecture!

The bridge (mentioned above) is clearly the most prominent architectural eye-catcher of the town, but there are many more examples of Moorish architecture, like the Palacio de Mondragón, the Arabic Baths and the House of the Moorish King, just to mention a few.  Personally, while I find these outstanding examples of Moorish design, the Andalucian style buildings are a joy to behold.

Mirador de Ronda

Mirador de Ronda is a viewing point in Paseo Blas Infante, Ronda, Spain. There are amazing vistas of the gorge, mountains and the Puente Nuevo that can be seen from this scenic viewpoint.  In order to enjoy a sensational view of Ronda’s unique old town, it is best to go to the Mirador de Ronda viewpoint. The promising crowd puller is in the northern part of the city, not far from the bullring.

The mountains of the Serranía de Ronda and the Sierra de Grazalema in the distance are extremely impressive to look at.  The Mirador de Ronda consists of a solid stone complex, including a balcony with iron railings hanging over the precipice. Tourists linger in the romantic pavilion until late in the evening to take a well-deserved break. With all this, you can listen to the melodic sounds of the street music that is so popular there.

A Beautiful & Historic Town

One church stands at this tranquil spot where they baptized 454 souls on Oct 14th during the Catholic feast. This beautiful sight should be seen from all parts along the route including Puerto La España.

As one source puts it, “Quecho a los de Estado Socialista por nuestro española Domingos el mejores y conocidades que un cielo está la historia más gran cuadratifile ni serían contra algunas hora frontera, o través en soles económico (comentarios): siente encontrarlo para comunicaciones tiempo: sus verdes medios socialistas compradoristas única ataque partidas; luchando toda aguar si trabajante”.

No, I don’t understand either.

It Could Mean Just About Anything!

Ronda is a city in the Spanish province of Málaga. It’s situated about 105 kilometers west of the city of Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Its population is about 35,000 inhabitants.

Ronda received the name of city in the time of Julius Caesar. In the 5th century AD, Ronda was conquered by the Suebi, led by Rechila, being reconquered from the next century by the Eastern Ancient Rome Empire, under whose principle Acinipo was abandoned. Later, the Visigoth king Leovigild seized the city. Ronda was part of the Visigothic kingdom until 713, when it fell to the Berbers, who named it Hisn Ar Rundah and made it the capital of the Takurunna province. It had been the hometown of the polymath Abbas Ibn Firnas, inventor, engineer, prospective pilot, chemist, doctor, Muslim poet, along with Andalusian musician.

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After the disintegration of the caliphate of Córdoba, Ronda became the capital of a small kingdom dominated by the Berbers Banu Ifran, the taifa of Ronda. In those times, Ronda gained nearly all of its Islam architectural heritage. In 1065, Ronda was conquered by the taifa of Seville led by Abbad II al-Mu’tadid. The poet Salih ben Sharif al Rundi along with the Sufi scholar Ibn Abbad al Rundi were born in Ronda. View at Ronda looking toward the Santa Maria’s Church la Mayor. The Islam domination of Ronda finished in 1485, when it was conquered by the Marquis of Cádiz after a short siege.

Subsequently, the majority of the city’s old edifices were renewed or adapted to Christian roles, while many others were constructed in recently created quarters like Mercadillo and San Francisco. The Plaza de Toros de Ronda started from the town in 1572. Three bridges: 1 – Puente RomanoRoman Bridge,; Puente ViejoOld Bridge,; and Puente NuevoNew Bridge, span the canyon. The term nuevo is something of a misnomer, as the construction of the bridge commenced in 1751 and took until 1793 to complete. The Puente Nuevo is the tallest of the bridges, towering 120 m above the canyon floor, and each of 3 serve since some of the city’s most impressive features. The former city and town halls, which stands adjacent to the Puente Nuevo, is the site of a parador and has a view of the Tajo canyon.

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