Málaga


Málaga is a municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 571,026 in 2018, it is the second-most populous city of Andalusia after Seville and the sixth most populous in Spain. It lies on the Costa del Sol of the Mediterranean, about east of the Strait of Gibraltar and about north of Africa.
Málaga's history spans about 2,800 years, making it one of the oldest cities in Europe and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. According to most scholars, it was founded about 770BC by the Phoenicians as Malaka. From the 6th centuryBC the city was under the hegemony of Ancient Carthage, and from 218BC, it was ruled by the Roman Republic and then empire as Malaca. After the fall of the empire and the end of Visigothic rule, it was under Islamic rule as Mālaqah for 800 years, but in 1487, the Crown of Castille gained control in the midst of the Granada War. The archaeological remains and monuments from the Phoenician, Roman, Arabic and Christian eras make the historic center of the city an "open museum", displaying its history of nearly 3,000 years.
The painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso, Hebrew poet and Jewish philosopher Solomon Ibn Gabirol and the actor Antonio Banderas were born in Málaga. The magnum opus of Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona, "Malagueña", is named after the music of this region of Spain.
The most important business sectors in Málaga are tourism, construction and technology services, but other sectors such as transportation and logistics are beginning to expand. The Andalusia Technology Park, located in Málaga, has enjoyed significant growth since its inauguration in 1992. Málaga is home of the region's largest bank, Unicaja, and it is the fourth-ranking city in economic activity in Spain behind Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, which ranks first in Andalusia.

History

from Tyre founded a colony named Málaka or Malake about 770BC. The town controlled access to the Guadalmedina and served as a waypoint on trade routes between Phoenicia and the Strait of Gibraltar. Like other Phoenician colonies, it fell under Carthaginian rule during the 6th or 5th centuryBC. The Phoenician and Later Roman urban core developed around an area running from the Gibralfaro Hill to the mouth of the Malaca flumen.
After the Punic Wars, the Roman Republic took control of the town known to them as Malaca. By the 1st century BC, Strabo alluded to its Phoenician profile, in contrast to the hellenized characteristics of the neighbouring settlement of Mainake.
Transformed into a confederated city, it was under a special law, the Lex Flavia Malacitana. A Roman theatre was built at this time. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was ruled first by the Visigoths. The city was taken circa 552 by the Byzantine Empire; either Malaca or Carthago Nova possibly then becoming the capital of the province of Spania. The Byzantines restored and expanded the docks, thus consolidating the fishing and trading tradition the city already enjoyed. The city was retaken by the Visigoth King Sisebuto in 615. The visigoths ruled the city until the Umayyad Caliphate's conquest of the area in 711.
In the 8th century, the city became an important regional trade center. After its secession from the Abbassid caliphate, the Umayyad Emirate of Cordoba ruled over the town known to them as Mālaqah. After the fall of Spain's branch of the Umayyads, Malaqah became the capital of a distinct kingdom ruled by the Zirids. From 1025 it was the capital of an autonomous taifa, until its conquest by the Emirate of Granada in 1239.
The traveller Ibn Battuta, who passed through around 1325, characterised it as "one of the largest and most beautiful towns of Andalusia the conveniences of both sea and land, and... abundantly supplied with foodstuffs and fruits". He praised its grapes, figs, and almonds; "its ruby-coloured Murcian pomegranates have no equal in the world." Another exported product was its "excellent gilded pottery". The town's mosque was large and beautiful, with "exceptionally tall orange trees" in its courtyard.
Málaga was one of the cities of the Iberian Peninsula where Muslim rule persisted the longest. While most other parts of the peninsula had already been won back during the "Reconquista", Malaqah remained part of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada. Málaga was seized by Christian forces on 18 August 1487, after a 3-month 11 days siege. The Muslim inhabitants resisted assaults and artillery bombardments before hunger forced them to surrender; virtually the entire population was sold into slavery or given as "gifts" to other Christian rulers, five years before the fall of Granada.

On 24 August 1704 the indecisive Battle of Málaga, the largest naval battle in the War of the Spanish Succession, took place in the sea south of Málaga.
After the coup of July 1936 the government of the Second Republic retained control of Málaga. Its harbour was a base of the Republican navy at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. It suffered heavy bombing by Italian warships which took part in breaking the Republican navy's blockade of Nationalist-held Spanish Morocco and took part in naval bombardment of Republican-held Málaga. After the Battle of Málaga and the Francoist takeover in February 1937, over seven thousand people were killed, as they were trying to flee the city through the road to Almería.
The well-known British journalist and writer Arthur Koestler was captured by the Nationalist forces on their entry into Málaga, which formed the material for his book Spanish Testament. The first chapters of the book include an eye-witness account of the 1937 fall of Málaga to Francisco Franco’s armies during the Spanish Civil War.
The city also suffered shelling later by Spanish Republican naval units. After the war, Málaga and Koestler's old haunts of Torremolinos and the rest of the Costa del Sol enjoyed the highest growth of the tourism sector in Spain.

Geography

Location

Málaga is located in southern Spain, on the Costa del Sol on the northern side of the Alboran Sea. It lies about east of the Strait of Gibraltar and about east of Tarifa and about to the north of Africa.
The Montes de Málaga mountain range is located in the northeast of the municipality. The highest point in the range is the Pico Reina, rising up to above sea level.
The city centre is located around the mouth of the Guadalmedina and close to the Guadalhorce's mouth. The Totalán Creek constitutes the eastern boundary of Málaga with the municipality of Rincón de la Victoria.
The Gibralfaro is a high foothill from which the and the Alcazaba fortress overlook the city.

Climate

The climate is subtropical-Mediterranean with very mild winters and hot summers. Málaga enjoys plenty of sunshine throughout the year, with an average of about 300 days of sunshine and only about 40-45 with precipitation annually. Its coastal location with winds blowing from the Mediterranean Sea make the heat manageable during the summer.
Málaga experiences the warmest winters of any European city with a population over 500,000. The average temperature during the day in the period from December to February is. During the winter, the Málaga Mountains block out the cold weather from the north. Generally, the summer season lasts about eight months, from April to November, although in the remaining four months temperatures sometimes surpass. Its average annual temperature is during the day and at night. In the coldest month, January, the temperature ranges from during the day, at night and the average sea temperature is. In the warmest month, August, the temperature ranges from during the day, above at night and the average sea temperature is.
Large fluctuations in temperature are rare. The highest temperature ever recorded at the airport is on 18 July 1978. In the month of August 1881, the average reported daytime maximum temperature was a record. The coldest temperature ever recorded was on the night of 4 February 1954. The highest wind speed ever recorded was on 16 July 1980, measuring. Snowfall is virtually unknown; since the end of the XIX century, Málaga city has only recorded snow one day in the 20th century, on 2 February 1954.
Annual average relative humidity is 65%, ranging from 58% in June to 72% in December. Yearly sunshine hours is between 2,800 and 3,000 per year, from 5–6 hours of sunshine / day in December to average 11 hours of sunshine / day in July. Rain occurs mainly in winter, with summer being generally dry. Málaga is one of the few cities in Europe which are "green" all year round.
Climate data for Málaga-------------
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Average sea temperature °C 15.9
15.6
15.6
16.8
18.4
21.0
22.9
23.5
21.9
20.5
18.1
16.5
18.9
Mean daily daylight hours10.011.012.013.014.015.014.014.012.011.010.010.012.2
Average Ultraviolet index245781010975326
Source: Weather Atlas-------------

Main sights

The old historic centre of Málaga reaches the harbour to the south. In the north it is surrounded by mountains, the Montes de Málaga lying in the southern base of the Axarquía hills, and two rivers, the Guadalmedina – the historic center is located on its left bank – and the Guadalhorce, which flows west of the city into the Mediterranean, in the Churriana district.
The oldest architectural remains in the city are the walls of the Phoenician city, which are visible in the cellar of the Museo Picasso Málaga.
The Roman theatre of Málaga, which dates from the 1st century BC, was rediscovered in 1951.
The Moors left posterity the dominating presence of the Castle of Gibralfaro, which is connected to the Alcazaba, the lower fortress and royal residence. Both were built during the Taifa period and extended during the Nasrid period. The Alcazaba stands on a hill within the city. Originally, it defended the city from the incursions of pirates. Later, in the 11th century, it was completely rebuilt by the Hammudid dynasty. Occupying the eastern hillside that rises from the sea and overlooks the city, the Alcazaba was surrounded by palms and pine trees.
Like many of the military fortifications that were constructed in Islamic Spain, the Alcazaba of Málaga featured a quadrangular plan. It was protected by an outer and inner wall, both supported by rectangular towers, between which a covered walkway led up the slope to the Gibralfaro. Due to its rough and awkward hillside topography, corridors throughout the site provided a means of communications for administrative and defensive operations, also affording privacy to the palatial residential quarters.
The entrance of the complex featured a grand tower that led into a sophisticated double bent entrance. After passing through several gates, open yards with beautiful gardens of pine and eucalyptus trees, and the inner wall through the Puerta de Granada, one finds the 11th- and 14th-century Governor's palace. It was organised around a central rectangular courtyard with a triple-arched gateway and some of the rooms have been preserved to this day. An open 11th-century mirador to the south of this area affords views of the gardens and sea below. Measuring, this small structure highlighted scalloped, five-lobed arches. To the north of this area were a waterwheel and a Cyclopean well, a hammam, workshops and the monumental Puerta de la Torre del Homenaje, the northernmost point of the inner walls. Directly beyond was the passage to the Gibralfaro above.
The :es:Iglesia de Santiago Apóstol |Church of Santiago is an example of Gothic vernacular Mudéjar, the hybrid style that evolved after the Reconquista incorporating elements from both Christian and Islamic tradition. Also from the period is the Iglesia del Sagrario, which was built on the site of the old mosque immediately after the city fell to Christian troops. It boasts a richly ornamented portal in the Isabeline-Gothic style, unique in the city.
The Cathedral and the :es:Palacio Episcopal de Málaga|Episcopal Palace were planned with Renaissance architectural ideals but there was a shortfall of building funds and they were finished in Baroque style.
The :es:Santuario de la Victoria |Basílica y Real Santuario de Santa María de la Victoria, built in the late 17th century, has a chapel in which the vertical volume is filled with elaborate Baroque plasterwork.
Other sights include:
  • Walls. Phoenician, Roman, Byzantine, Arab and Spanish remains of the defensive compounds of the city.
  • :es:Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón |Church of the Sacred Heart.
  • :es:Iglesia de San Felipe Neri |San Felipe Neri Church.
  • :es:Iglesia de los Santos Mártires |Church of the Holy Martyrs.
  • La Concepción, botanical and historical garden.
  • :es:Mercado de Atarazanas|Atarazanas Market.
  • Anglican Cemetery of St. George.
  • Palm grove and Muelle Uno. Port of Málaga.
  • :es:Cementerio de San Miguel|San Miguel Cemetery.
  • La Malagueta bullring.
  • Pedregalejo, old fishing district.

    Demographics


NationalityPopulation
9,152
4,398
3,443
2,986
2,243
2,236
2,082
1,396
1,164
898

As of 2018, the population of Málaga is 571,026, accounting for 527,463 Spanish nationals and 43,563 foreign citizens.
The number of resident foreign nationals has risen significantly in Málaga since the 1970s.
;Metropolitan area
.
The urban area, stretching mostly along a narrow strip of coastline, has a population of 1,066,532 on . It is formed by Málaga proper together with the following adjacent towns and municipalities: Rincón de la Victoria, Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Alhaurín de la Torre, Mijas, Marbella and San Pedro Alcántara. The Málaga metropolitan area includes additional municipalities located mostly in the mountains area north of the coast and also some on the coast: Cártama, Pizarra, Coín, Monda, Ojén, Alhaurín el Grande and Estepona on west; Casabermeja on north; Totalán, Algarrobo, Torrox and Vélez-Málaga eastward from Málaga; centered Málaga urban area and Alhaurín de la Torre.
Together about 1.3 million people live in the Málaga metropolitan area and the number grows every year as all the municipalities and cities of the area record an annual increase in population.

Politics and administration

Málaga is a municipality, the basic local administrative division in Spain. The Ayuntamiento is the body charged with the municipal government and administration. The Plenary of the ayuntamiento is formed by 31 elected municipal councillors, who in turn invest the mayor. The last municipal election took place on 26 May 2019. The current mayor is , who has won several mandates since becoming mayor in 2000. The city hall is located at the, a Neo-Baroque building inaugurated in 1919.
Málaga is divided in 11 municipal districts.

NºDistrictNºDistrictLocation
1Centro7Carretera de Cádiz
2Este8Churriana
3Ciudad Jardín9Campanillas
4Bailén-Miraflores10Puerto de la Torre
5Palma-Palmilla11Teatinos-Universidad
6Cruz de Humilladero-

Economy

Málaga is the fourth-ranking city in economic activity in Spain behind Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia.
.
The most important business sectors in Málaga are tourism, construction and technology services, but other sectors such as transportation and logistics are beginning to expand. The Andalusia Technology Park , located in Málaga, has enjoyed significant growth since its inauguration in 1992 by the King of Spain. In 2018, this high-tech, science and industrial park employs over 16,774 workers, according to its own numbers.
In line with the city's strategic plan, the campaign "Málaga: Open for Business" is directed towards the international promotion of the city on all levels but fundamentally on a business level. The campaign places a special emphasis on new technologies as well as innovation and research in order to promote the city as a reference and focal point for many global business initiatives and projects.
Málaga is a city of commerce and tourism has been a growing source of revenue, driven by the presence of a major airport, the improvement of communications, and new infrastructure such as the AVE and the maritime station, and new cultural facilities such as the Picasso Museum, the Contemporary Art Centre and Trade Fair and Congress, which have drawn more tourists.
The city hosts the International Association of Science and Technology Parks , and a group of IT company executives and business leaders has launched an information sector initiative, Málaga Valley e-27, which seeks to make Málaga the Silicon Valley of Europe. Málaga has had strong growth in new technology industries, mainly located in the Technological Park of Andalusia, and in the construction sector. The city is home to the largest bank in Andalusia, Unicaja, and such local companies as Mayoral, Charanga, Sando, Vera, Ubago, Isofoton, Tedial, Novasoft, Grupo Vértice and Almeida viajes, and other multinationals such as Fujitsu Spain, Pernod Ricard Spain, Accenture, Epcos, Oracle Corporation, Huawei and San Miguel. Nobel prize-winner Bruce Beutler is planning to set up the biggest mutagenesis research laboratory in the world in Malaga.
Industrial sectorCompanies
Energy and water24
Chemical and mining231
Mechanical engineering industry833
Manufacturing1,485
Total2,573
Industrial activity index771
Construction-related companies3,143

Culture

Feasts and festivals

;Holy Week
.
Holy Week has been observed for five centuries in Málaga. Processions start on Palm Sunday and continue until Easter Sunday. Images depicting scenes from the Passion are displayed on huge ornate tronos, some weighing more than. Famous is the royal archbrotherhood of Our-Lady of Hope Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza. They have more than 5,000 members and 600.
These tronos highlight the processions that go through the streets led by penitents dressed in long robes, with capirote, followed by women in black carrying candles. Drums and trumpets play music and occasionally someone spontaneously sings a mournful saeta dedicated to the floats as they make their way slowly round the streets.
Some Holy Week tronos are so huge that they must be housed in places outside the churches, as they are taller than the entrance doors. Famous is the military procession of "la legion" playing marches and singing their anthem during procession.
;Feria de Agosto
.
During the celebration of the Feria de Málaga in August, the streets are transformed into traditional symbols of Spanish culture and history, with sweet wine, tapas, and live flamenco shows. The day events consist of dancing, live music and bullfights at La Malagueta, while the night fair is moved to the Recinto Ferial, consisting of restaurants, clubs, and an entire fair ground with rides and games.
;Málaga Film Festival
The Málaga Film Festival, dedicated exclusively to films produced in Spain, is one of the most important film festivals in the country. It is held annually during a week in March or April.
;Other
The Fiesta Mayor de Verdiales takes place every year on 28 December during which Spain's April Fool Day is celebrated.
The Fiestas de Carnaval, in which people dress in all types of costumes, takes place prior to the holy 40 days of Lent every February. A contest is held in the Teatro Cervantes'' between groups of singers, quartets and choirs who compete in the singing of ironic songs about social and political issues. The Carnival takes to the streets of Málaga on the week before Ash Wednesday, ending on Malagueta beach with the burial of the anchovy.

Gastronomy

The cuisine of Málaga and the wider Costa del Sol is known for its , fish grilled over open fires in the chiringuitos located near the beaches. The espeto has been proposed as a candidate for designation by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage.

Religion

Most of the population of Málaga professes Roman Catholicism as its religion, although not many are practising Catholics. Protestants also have a presence in Málaga: one of seven congregations of the Reformed Churches in Spain is based in the city and is the only one that permits paedocommunion, while The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is growing.
Islam is represented by a growing number of immigrants and a mosque, while the Jewish community is represented by its synagogue and the Jewish Association.

Sports

Málaga is home to three major professional sports teams. These include:
  • Málaga CF – football club plays in Segunda División. Honours: UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2002, UEFA Cup: 2003, UEFA Champions League: 2013.
  • CB Málaga – basketball club plays in ACB League. Honours: Spanish Championship: 2006, runner-up: 1995, 2002; Spanish Cup: 2005, runner-up: 2009; Spanish Super-Cup: runner-up: 2006, 2015; Korać Cup: 2001, runner-up: 2000; Euroleague: third place: 2007; EuroCup: 2017
  • CD El Palo – football club plays in third level of Spanish football: Segunda Division B
  • Club Atlético Málaga – women's football club plays in Superliga Femenina, Honours: Spain Cup: 1998, runner-up: 1997; Spain Supercup: 1999
The city has four large sports facilities:
In the city, people can engage in many sports, for example: surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, swimming, diving, skydiving, paragliding, running, cycling, rowing, tennis and golf.
The city hosted the 21st World Transplant Games from 25 June to 2 July 2017
Malaga is the 2020 EU Sports Capital.

Tourism

The city is an important tourist destination, known as "the capital of the Costa del Sol". An estimated 6 million tourists visit the city each year. Tourists usually visit the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and the Museo Picasso Málaga, the Carmen Thyssen Museum, the old town or the beaches. The Málaga harbour is also the second busiest cruise port of the Iberian Peninsula.
A popular walk leads up the hill to the Gibralfaro castle, offering panoramic views over the city. The castle is next to the Alcazaba, the old Muslim palace, which in turn is next to the inner city of Málaga. Other nearby attractions are the Roman Theatre, the old Jewish quarter, the Cathedral, and the Church of Santiago in mudéjar style. A popular walk follows the Paseo del Parque to the harbour, ending in Calle Larios, the main commercial street of the city. There is also a curious museum, the Museum of the Holy Week, which includes an impressive display of Baroque ecclesiastical items.

Museums

In the early part of the 21st century, the city of Málaga invested heavily in the arts to draw tourists and establish itself as a cultural Andalucia destination with 28 museums. Some notable and recently opened museums include the Museo de Málaga at the Palacio de la Aduana, Carmen Thyssen Museum, opened in 2011, located at Palacio de Villalón, the Museo Picasso Málaga near the Cathedral. the , the Fundación Picasso and Picasso Birthplace Museum, the Colección del Museo Ruso Saint Petersburg/Málaga,, the Museum Jorge Rando, the Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares, and the Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga.

Education

Bilingual education in schools

Since the launch of the ‘Plan de Fomento del Plurilingüismo’ in 2005, 169 schools in Malaga have included bilingual education in their programmes. Although English is the most usual second language, many other primary and secondary schools in Malaga offer the choice of French, German, Arabic, Portuguese or Chinese. This first action has been followed by a second project run by the Junta de Andalucia. The so-called "Plan Estratégico de Desarrollo de las Lenguas en Andalucía" intends to provide pupils with a basic level of at least one foreign language.

Artistic training

Dance, music, drama, visual arts and crafts also have a place in the public education system of Málaga. Some of the most relevant artistic schools are:
  • Escuela de Arte San Telmo : Arts and Crafts, vocational and high-school education.
  • Conservatorio Profesional de Musica Manuel Carra: music, vocational training.
  • Conservatorio Profesional de Danza de Málaga: dance, vocational training.
  • Conservatorio Superior de Música de Málaga: Bachelor and Master level.
  • Escuela Superior de Artes Escénicas de Málaga

    Spanish as a foreign language

Malaga has become one of the leading destinations for Spanish courses. In 2017, 16,692 students visited Malaga to enroll in Spanish courses, 17.6% more than 2016.

Universities in Malaga

The public University of Málaga was created in 1972. Earlier in the 20th-century a branch of the University of Granada had been opened in the city in 1963. As of 2012 the UMA had 35,354 students.
The campus of the UMA is located in the Western neighbourhood of Teatinos. There are 13 different faculties, namely: Fine Arts, Science, Communication, Education, Health Sciences, Economic and Business Sciences, Business and Management, Law, Social Work and Studies, Humanities, Medicine, Psychology, and Tourism. In addition there are 5 higher technical schools, the Higher Polytechnic School, the Higher Technical School of Architecture, the Higher Technical School of Telecommunication Engineering, the Higher Technical School of Industrial Engineering and the Higher Technical School of Computer Engineering.

International schools in Málaga city

Airport

The city is served by Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport, one of the first in Spain and the oldest still in operation. In 2008, it handled 12,813,472 passengers, making it the fourth-busiest in Spain. It is the international airport of Andalusia, accounting for 85 percent of its international traffic.
The airport, connected to the Costa del Sol, has a daily link with twenty cities in Spain and over a hundred cities in Europe, North Africa, Middle East and North America.
The airport is connected to the city centre and surrounding areas through a transport hub, which includes the bus system and suburban trains and car parks.

Seaport

The Port of Málaga is the city's seaport, operating continuously at least since 600 BC. The port is one of the busiest ports on the Mediterranean Sea, with a trade volume of over 428,623 TEU and 642,529 passenger in 2008.
The port has a ferry connection to the Port of Melilla, playing a role in the so-called , the planned seasonal transit of passengers during the summer months from Europe to North-Africa.

High-speed train

The Málaga María Zambrano railway station is served by the AVE high-speed rail system, and is operated by the state-owned rail company Renfe.

Roads and highways

The A45 road leads north to Antequera and Córdoba.
The Autovía A-7 parallels the N-340 road, both leading to Cádiz to the west through the Costa del Sol Occidental and Barcelona to the east through the Costa del Sol Oriental.

Public transportation

;Urban bus
Empresa Malagueña de Transportes buses are the main form of transport around the city. Málaga's bus station is connected with the city by the bus line number 4, although it is only ten minutes' walk to the Alameda from there.
;Metropolitan bus
The buses of the Málaga Metropolitan Transport Consortium are the main mean of transportation around the city of Málaga and the surrounding municipalities.
;Mass transit
The city has two commuter train lines Cercanías departing from the Centro-Alameda station and a light metro system.

Malaga Public Transportation Statistics

The average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit in Malaga, for example to and from work, on a weekday is 49 min. 6% of public transit riders, ride for more than 2 hours every day. The average amount of time people wait at a stop or station for public transit is 9 min, while 8% of riders wait for over 20 minutes on average every day. The average distance people usually ride in a single trip with public transit is 4.1 km, while 1% travel for over 12 km in a single direction.

Notable people

Málaga is twinned with: