Torrox.
Torrox village.
Torrox
Torrox is situated in the Axarquía,
at the foot of the Sierra Tejeda and Sierra Almijara, 49 kilometres from
Malaga and 23 from Vélez, at 145 metres above sea level.
The name of the town derives from
the Arabic word for a tower, but the history of Torrox goes back a long
way before Moorish times, to the 1st century A.D. We know this from archaeological
remains found in the mouth of the river Torrox. The Phoenicians settled
here, and after them, the Romans. The remains of a Roman fish conservation
factory, named Claviclum, was discovered in the area, from where the celebrated
"garum" was exported to Rome. The Moorish prince Abd-el-Rahamn
Ben Muawiya, last representative of the Omeya dynasty in flight from Damascus,
arrived in Torrox in 755, after having landed at Almuñécar,
to unite with his own Al-Andalus brethren. He then gathered a large army
of men and advanced on Archidona, where he was proclaimed Emir of the
Believers in March of 756.
Abd-el-Rahman was the first
independent Emir and Caliph of Cordoba, and his dynasty lasted three centuries
of culture, art, commerce and agricultural advancement. But the population
of Torrox was not happy with his rule, and things came to a head at the
end of the 9th century with the rebellion lead by Omar Ben Hafsun against
the Cordoba Caliphate. The Caliph Abd-el-Rahman laid siege to the Castel
of Torrox in 914, capturing the rebels and burning the ships that came
to their assistance on the coast. A completely Muslim population grew
up in the town in the 11th century, dependent on the Frigiliana leadership.
Torrox was conquered by the Catholic Monarchs in 1487 after the fall of
Vélez Málaga, but the victory was not consolidated until
a year later. The Catholic Monarchs awarded the town with the title "Muy
Noble y Muy Leal Villa de Torrox" (Very Noble and Very Loyal_) in
the year 1503, and Queen Isabel I authorised the building of a watch tower
in the town as protection against coastal pirates. A series of earthquakes
destroyed part of the town in 1884 and 1885.
Tourist information
Town Hall, Plaza de la Constitución, 1. 29770.
Phone 952 538 200
Gastronomy of Torrox
The most traditional dish in Torrox is the migas, delicacies fried in
breadcrumbs, around which an annual festival has been organised. These
are accompanied by sardines, cod, clams and olives, according to taste.
The ajoblanco, an Andalusian soup, is also very popular here, and this
often comes enriched with grapes. Torrox has it own special salad, and
papas a lo pobre, a delicious potato dish, is also a speciality of the
area. The wine doughnuts are eaten at Christmas, and the local arropía
(syrup) is cooked for the Cruces de Mayo.
Eating out in Torrox
Restaurants
Marisquería Antonio
Paseo Marítimo, Bloque 85. Torrox.
Phone 952 530 899 El Chicle
Ctra. de Málaga-Almería Torrox.
Phone 952 530 173 La Reja
Ctra. de Málaga-Almería,Edf. Medina Torrox.
Phone 952 532 794Pata Negra
Urb.Laguna Beach, local 20,Torrox.
Phone 952 530 125
Fiestas and ferias in Torrox
Torrox has a busy festive calendar all the year round, its most important
festival being from October 4th and 8th. The Fiesta de las Migas takes
place on the last Sunday before Christmas, a festival in which visitors
to the town can sample this exquisite dish accompanied by a glass of wine
from the area and music and dancing in the streets. Carnival time is February,
a festival that had been allowed to fade out in years gone by, but now
recuperated for the enjoyment of everybody. In spring there is Holy Week,
and later on, in May, the Cruces de Mayo. Local custom demands that one
tries the arropía, a type of syrup of Moorish origin. On June 13th
there is the Festival of San Antonio, which is especially relevant in
the barrio of Ntra. Sra. de las Nieves. The Night of San Juan is on June
24th, and the local tradition here is to head for the beach and wash away
the evil spirits. The festival in honour of the Virgen de las Nieves and
San Roque, patron saints of the town, take place on August 5th, and finally,
the festival of the Candelaria, with lighted candles in the streets, takes
place in September.
Attractions ans activities in Torrox
Town centre
The town centre of Torrox is exceptionally rich in historic architecture,
its narrow and winding streets reminiscent of Moorish times. The town
centre is filled with small houses built as the ground rises and falls.
The central Plaza de la Constitución has a unique collection of
Roman busts on the gable ends of the buildings, and there too is the imposing
parish church.
Church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación
This church was built at the beginning of the 16th century over an old
mosque, and restored and enlarged in the middle of the 17th century. Its
design is Baroque, in the shape of the Latin cross. The interior is divided
into three naves, the central one in timber structuring, and outside the
most interesting item is the beautiful square tower with semicircular
arches supporting a roof with pinnacles.
Convent and hermitage of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves
This is an important work of Mudejar architecture built in the 16th century.
The ground plan of the Hermitage is the shape of the Latin cross, with
naves and side chapels, presbytery, choir and spire. The convent is built
onto the hermitage, and was founded by the Mínimos Fathers of the
Order of San Francisco, who also founded the hermitage. It has two storeys
with a cloister and interior patio. The convent was used for storing fruit
in the 19th century, and later as a police station for the Guardia Civil,
up to the 1970s. Another interesting religious building in the town is
the hermitage of San Roque, dating from the 16th century. This is a simple
structure with a single nave, choir and spire. Worth a visit too are the
18th century Aduana y Casa de la Moneda (Customs House and Mint) and the
present Casa de la Cultura, built in 1863 by José Sevilla.
Where to sleep in Torrox
Hotels
Hotel Costamar (2*). C.N. 340. El Morche,Torrox.
Phone 952 530 049Hotel Santa Rosa (2*). C.N. 340. El Morche,Torrox.
Phone 952 530 838
Hotel Rural Cortijo Amaya. C.N. 340. Torrox-Costa,Torrox.
Phone 952 530 245
Camping
Camping El Pino. El Pino, Peñoncillo,Torrox.
Phone 952 530 006
Torrox |
