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The
very first thing the eye beholds as you start down towards the Antequera plains
by way of the N-331 (A-45) expressway is a broad meadowland like an immense
tapestry of different shades of green or ochre, depending on the season of
your visit. To the right, the evocative Peña de los Enamorados (Lovers’
Rock) with its legend of a doomed romance; straight ahead, gentle hills hem
in the meadows, and to the left, below the crest of the El Torcal massif,
Christian towers and Arab walls stand out from the brilliant white of the
town. For more information about
property for sale in Spain in or near Antequera please contact us.
Were the space not so large, you might think what you see is an ingenious artistic illusion. Even at that, this dazzlingly panoramic initial view does not reveal the treasure of monumental sites contained in Antequera, where every corner reverberates with a thousand-year-old Mediterranean culture forged by all the western civilisations.
The first settlers in this region left archaeological
testimony of immense importance: the dolmens of Viera, Menga and Romeral,
gigantic burial structures erected in the Bronze Age.
Although there is no precise data on the subject, it is believed that from
this date forward these lands were always populated, among other reasons because
its geographic location –in the territorial centre of Andalucia - is
the natural crossroads between upper and lower Andalucia, making it possible
for Iberians, Tartessians, Phoenicians and Carthaginians to pass through and
settle here. Traces of the latter, in fact, have been found at Cerro León,
where it seems that the battle between Hasdrubal’s Carthaginians and
the Roman legions took place.
The city owes its present name to the Romans. It derives from the ancient Antikaria, a name that would be retained by the Arabs who, under the command of Abdelaziz Ben Muza, conquered it in the eighth century. Many traces of the Roman era remain, both in Antequera proper and in the nearby towns of Arastepi and Singilia Barba, which are considered among the most important of Roman Malaga.
Bathhouses, villas, sculptures, ceramics, mosaics, and column shafts and capitals from the Roman period have been turning up throughout the Antequera area in recent years as clear proof of its ancient splendour.
The Arabs extended and strengthened the town,
building the Alcazaba fort and surrounding the Medina with a wall. It became
a strategic point after the capture of Seville
and Jaen
by the Christian troops who, under the command of the Infante (Crown Prince)
Don Fernando, finally entered Antequera in 1410.
After being granted several royal favours, Antequera began to experience growth
that would arrive at its peak in the second half of the sixteenth century
and that in some ways was maintained until the eighteenth. During this long
interval, the town was enriched with an extraordinary artistic heritage –primarily
churches and convents but also outstanding secular structures- that is responsible
for the present appearance of its historic urban centre.
An epidemic of yellow fever and the Napoleonic
invasion decimated the town at the beginning of the nineteenth century, when
it was already showing signs of exhaustion, but with those bad times behind
it a new and vigorous middle class appeared, supported by a thriving textile
industry, that gave new life to its economy and society. This powerful industrial
sector was to succumb in the twentieth century and it would not be until the
last third of this century that the town, now linked by a good transportation
and communications network with the rest of Andalusia, again entered a period
of clear economic expansion, and it is still in full swing.
Fiestas
The festival calendar of Antequera is a faithful reflection of a dynamic city
but one that has managed to preserve the traditions and customs that were
forged over its long history. Among its many celebrations Holy Week stands
out spectacularly-it has been designated a Fiesta of National Tourist Interest
in Andalusia and is one of the most ancient and original in the Community
of Andalusia. It resembles no other, although in essence it may be the
same as the rest. It has such a distinctive character that the term “Antequera-style”
is used to emphasise certain traits that have influenced Holy Week in other
places.
Most of its images are valuable carvings done
between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries by artists from the Antequera
School itself. The “pasos” (Passion floats) are carried on the
shoulders of the “hermanacos”, whose status as bearers is customarily
hereditary, and the lavish processional appointments gleam in all their splendour
amid the architectural decorations of the steep streets of the historic district.
One of the most peculiar Antequera Holy Week rituals is called “correr
la vega”, and consists of racing on a very steep slope while carrying
the thrones.
The Feria de Agosto (August Fair) is a colourful tableau made up of the most
diverse activities: open-air dancing, “cante jondo” flamenco,
pop music, jazz, gastronomy shows or bullfights in which the most prestigious
matadors take part. The fiestas in honour of the patron saint, the Virgen
del Rosario (8 September), are likewise very popular among the Antequeranos.
The Feria Agrícola y Ganadera de Antequera, Agroant (Agricultural and
Livestock Fair), is held in late May, in conjunction with the Feria de Primavera
(Spring Fair).
Food
In the field of gastronomy, Antequera also has produced some dishes
that have gained much favour beyond its borders and today are customary in
every corner of Andalucia. The famous porra antequerana (bread, tomato and
peppers are its principal ingredients) is undoubtedly the star dish of this
region, a position shared by the no less famous molletes, a bread of Arabic
origin made with local olive oil that is an indispensable part of breakfast.
Antequera is also in a class by itself when it comes to pastries. The Christmas sweets (polvorones, mantecados, alfajores…) that come from its traditional ovens and above all from its cloistered convents have achieved a fame based on traditional craftsmanship of the highest order. One of the most characteristic pastries of this city is bienmesabe, made from almonds, cinnamon, “bizcocho” and “cabello de ángel” (a sweet made from pumpkin and honey).
The taste for tapas, an established custom
not just in Andalucia but in many other places in Spain, is especially entrenched
in Antequera as evidenced by the numerous establishments in the city that
have specialised in this product. From the almost limitless range available,
excellent choices would be tapas of stewed rice, ribs, “porra”,
potatoes, eggplant and needless to say all the different pork products that
continue to be made by hand in this region.
How to get there:
The quickest way from Malaga to Antequera
is by the N-331 (A-45) expressway. Once you arrive at the Antequera lowlands,
take the A-354, and after 2 kilometres, you will enter the urban area of Antequera
Tourist information:
Tourism Office, 7 San Sebastián Plaza (29200). Telephone: 952 702 505;
Fax: 952 702 505
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