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The boundaries of the sizable municipal territory of Almogía are formed
by the El Torcal mountain range in the north and the nearby Hoya de Malaga
(Malaga valley) in the south. Between these two
geographic features stretches a region that is eminently mountainous and diverse
but without rugged terrain, except for the Santi Petri peak, which at 797
metres is the highest point of this area. For more information about property
for sale in Spain in or near Almogia please contact us.
Low brush and olive groves carpet virtually all this land, with a few widely scattered live oaks remaining as evidence of the primeval forest that once covered the region. The Los Retamares gorge and the peak of Santi Petri are two enclaves that are worth a visit for their scenic interest.
As is true of many other villages in the province of Malaga, Almogía was an important link between the coastal population and the interior cities, as is shown by the traces of a Roman road discovered in the municipality. Little more is known about the history of this village, but it again gained some prominence during the Muslim domination, especially during the Muladí rebellion led by Omar Ben Hafsun against the powerful Omeya dynasty of Cordoba. Enough records exist to support the belief that the Santi Petri fortress, now in ruins after its destruction by Christian troops in 1487, dates from that period.
The residents of Almogía became vassals of Castile after their surrender to the Catholic Monarchs, but years later joined the Moorish rebellion that sprang up in the mountain regions in 1570. Captain Francisco Sánchez de Cordoba, in command of 500 men, squashed the rebellion, and those implicated in it were relocated to other areas. So that the village would not remain uninhabited, a program was carried out to repopulate it with long-time Christians from Antequera and Teba, which during those times belonged to the kingdom of Seville.
As to the name of the locality, there is no doubt that it is Arabic in origin, but students of the subject are divided in their opinions about its true root. Some believe it comes from Al-mexía, of the lineage of the Mexíes, and to others the word simply means ‘pretty’ or ‘beautiful.’
Fiestas
In common with the tradition of other villages in Malaga,
Semana Santa (Holy Week) is of special significance in Almogía, where
it likewise revolves around the competition between “Greens” and
“Purples.” On Holy Thursday the images of Nuestro Padre Jesús
Nazareno (Our Father Jesus of Nazareth) and María Santísima
de los Dolores (Holy Mary of the Sorrows) are borne in a procession, and on
Good Friday the Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (Our Lady of Solitude)
brotherhood takes to the streets. On Resurrection Sunday these two brotherhoods
accompany the Resurrected Christ in the processional march.
The Fiesta de Verdiales de las Tres Cruces (Three Crosses Verdiales Fiesta) is as popular as the Semana Santa. It takes place the first Sunday in May around the Tres Cruces hermitage, located on the boundaries of the municipalities of Almogía, Pizarra, Cártama and Alora. “Pandas” (singing groups) from these four villages perform the peculiar “choque” (clash) among themselves, which is nothing more than a demonstration of the great folkloric work done by each of these groups.
Residents from the four aforementioned villages,
and from many others in the surrounding area, divide their time between witnessing
performances of verdiales and sampling typical foods that are usually washed
down with the good local wine.
In order to provide some orientation to those
not familiar with this type of folklore, it should be pointed out that verdiales
are a very primitive form of the fandango that took root in some mountain
enclaves. They are a genuine Málaga phenomenon, with three well-defined
styles corresponding to as many places: Almogía, Montes and Comares.
Almogía-style verdiales differ from the others in that the tempo is
considerably faster.
The traditional verdiales costume is notable for the large sombrero decorated
with bright-coloured ribbons and a countless number of small multi-coloured
objects.
The Corpus, the San Isidro Labrador pilgrimage (15 May), the day of San Juan
(23 June) and the August fair (early that month) are some other very popular
fiestas in Almogía.
Food
Chanfaina (kid seasoned with almonds) is probably the most characteristic
dish of this locality’s cuisine. Along with that dish, sopa de puchero
(a stew), ajoblanco and gazpachuelo (cold soups) and salmorejo (a pepper and
vinegar sauce) form the list of the most traditional recipes of this region.
Borrachuelos (wine buns) are the most notable pastry.
How to get there:
The shortest way from Malaga capital to
Almogía is to take the old Antequera road
(A-6113) to Venta El Gato and from there, to take the A-423, which leads straight
to this locality.
Tourist information:
Town Hall, Plaza de la Constitución, 1 (29150). Telephone: 952 430
025; Fax: 952 430 22
Property for sale Almogia
Almogia Property
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