Alcaucin, Malaga tourist information
Villages of Malaga province and Andalucia, Spain travel information

Alcaucin Malaga

Situated on the side of the Sierra Tejera, overlooking the Axarquia region, Periana Corridor and Zafarraya Gap, the village affords spectacular views stretching as far as the coast.

Remains of Neanderthal man were found here, but the first real settlement did not appear here until the Moslem times, as proven by the remains of Zalia Castle.

It displays the typical characteristics of the Axarquia villages, with its steep, narrow streets lined with white houses.

Places worth visiting include El Tajo de la Cueva, El Moron de la Cuña, La Loma de la Monjas and Las Majadas.

History

Alcaucin stands at the foothills of the Sierra Tejeda. Its municipal boundaries stretch as far as the border with the province of Granada which is marked out by a mountain chain. The access to the Axarquia region is provided via the natural pass of El Boquete de Zafarraya. This pass has played a key role in the history of the settlers of the adjacent territories since time immemorial. In fact; the archaeological excavations carried out in 1983 have indicated the human presence in this area for over 30,000 years ago. They discovered the remains of the jawbone of a male Homo sapiens -better known as Neanderthal Man- from the Le Moustier era of the mid Palaeolithic period. Other prehistoric remains found near El Boquete de Zafarraya are: the caves of Cueva de los Guaicos and Abrigo de El Espino, both of which belong to the Neolithic period, and an evidence of a Bronze Age settlement in the 2nd century A.D. at Cerro de La Negreta.

The proof of the strategic importance of the area, and of its key role in connecting the coast with the interior, is "Zalia Castle", located on the plateau of the same name, which dates back to Phoenician times. The Arabs equipped this defensive emplacement with the elements that are still visible today, even in its current ruined state. The last stage of the castle's history began in 1569, when, in the wake of morisco (Moslem convert to Christianity) revolts and uprisings, it became a prison, administered by the Bishopric and subversive Moors, incarcerating those suspected of participating in the rebellion.

The village's present-day name comes from the Arabic word "alqausin", meaning "a bow", and, in the opinion of some authors, could be a reference to the fact that the village was famous for producing these weapons.

Both the village and the nearby Zalia Castle were conquered by the Catholic Monarchs in 1485.

Another outstanding event in the annals of the village's history, making up a part of the village elders' folklore, is the major earthquake which occurred on Christmas Day 1884. Its epicentre was in the Sierra Tejeda, razing most of the north of the Axarquia to the ground and causing serious damage and deaths. The accounts state that rescue and aid operations were made extremely difficult by the heavy snow which fell in the area around the same time.

Tourist information about Alcaucin

Town council: Plaza de la Constitución, 1 - 29711 Alcaucín (Málaga)
Phone: +34 952 51 00 02
Official website: Ayuntamiento de Alcaucin.

Malaga to Alcaucin:

68.5 km journey by car (the road is good so you will reach Alcaucin in barely 1 hour). Find the cheapest car hire Malaga airport deals and see how to get from Malaga airport to Alcaucin.