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The
tiny municipal territory of Atajate –only 11 square kilometres- lies
in one of those places that the scenery totally captures the visitor’s
attention and the village is like a counterpoint to the work of nature. It
enjoys the full benefit of its location between two of the most beautiful
valleys in the province of Malaga: that of the River
Genal and of the Guadiaro, a situation that several other localities in the
Ronda highlands benefit from.
For more information about property for sale in Spain in or near Atajate please contact us.
In keeping with its small area, the population
of Atajate (175) is at the moment the smallest in the province of Malaga,
which depending on how you look at it increases its charm. The village centre,
on the slope of El Cuervo hill, is sheltered by the Peñasblancas peak
(1,076 metres) and El Cuervo itself. Its crest (782 metres) rises just a few
metres above the house roofs, which give the appearance of being the base
of the parish church tower. Olive groves, grain fields and vineyards abound
in the surroundings of the tiny urban area and in a few places give way to
live oaks and cork oaks and the thick tangled brush that grows among the limestone
outcroppings.
Axe fragments, discovered in caves near the village, show that primitive man
settled in these lands, which is only logical considering that in all this
part of the Ronda region there are numerous such
relics. The same can be said of the Romans, who in their passage through these
parts left coins and ceramics, after which time there is historical silence
until it is broken by the arrival of the Arabs.
The village had its origin in the El Cuervo
hill and it is reasonable to think, considering the configuration of the kingdoms
of Seville and Granada
in that era, that the Arabs would have built a fortress in this place, especially
as confrontations between Christian and Arab troops were later so frequent
in the environs of Gaucin and Ronda.
However, while all this seems quite likely there is no documentation of any
such thing.
It is known for a fact that during the Napoleonic invasion the village was
destroyed by the French army and, as a consequence its inhabitants had to
abandon for a time what remained of their houses. Beginning at that time bandits
came to consider Atajate a good refuge and used it as such between hold-ups
of the stagecoaches that crossed the Ronda highlands.
Fiestas
On 16 to 18 August the patron saint festivals in honour of San Roque are celebrated
with a characteristic programme of all sorts of activities, ranging from religious,
naturally, to the most informal and nourishing, as gastronomy plays a decisive
role in them. The fiesta on the day of La Cruz (The Cross, 1 May) is also
important in Arriate, as is the Mosto (New Wine) fiesta that is held on 30
November to coincide with the Ruta Mototurística (Motor Tourist Route)
in the Genal and Guadiaro valleys. This latter event is relatively new and
a large number of motorists usually attend from all over Andalusia and other
Communities.
On Resurrection Sunday during the Semana Santa (Holy Week) the Moros y Cristianos
(Moors and Christians) enactment is held in which the villagers portraying
Christians confront those dressed as Moors, in a friendly manner in this case,
in commemoration of medieval battles.
Food
Native cuisine in Atajate means one thing above all others: “enreaíllos”
(a confection). Next in importance if not in the same rank must be listed
gazpacho caliente (hot gazpacho, a type of soup usually served chilled). Gachas
(a soup made from flour and seasoning), gazpachuelo (a chilled soup) and migas
(a dish made from fried bread crumbs) are also included in this village’s
traditional cuisine, which can surprise the visitor with such confections
as pestiños (a fried pastry), piñonates (a sweet of Arabic origin
containing pine nuts), roscos (spiral pastries) and quesos de almendras (almond
candy).
How to get there:
Atajate is reached from the Costa del Sol by the A-376, which turns
off from the N-340 in the direction of Ronda. Just
3.5 kilometres short of Ronda take the A-369 towards
Algeciras and the first village to come into sight will be Atajate.
Tourist information:
Town Hall, Plaza de la Constitución (29494). Telephone: 952 183 504;
Fax: 952 183 697
Property for sale Atajate
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