History
The Gibralfaro fortress is one of the symbols of Malaga. It is situated on the crest of the mountain of the same name, crowning it from one end to the other at 132 m above sea level. Below its feet, steep slopes begin to descend, leading to the sea and the city. From the beginning of the city’s history, this enclave has been fundamental for the civilizations that have settled in Malaga at different times. It was a strategic point for observing the population, guiding ships and monitoring access to the city by sea and land.
This peak gets its name from the toponym (Yabal, in Arabic, mountain and Faruh, ayami from the Greek Faros, lighthouse) since according to belief it is thought that a lighthouse was built in Phoenician times to facilitate coastal navigation, although no remains of said construction have been found. As for establishing a fortress on it, we must go back to the 14th century. Between the years 1344 and 1354 Yusuf I ordered the construction of this castle to protect the citadel that is located in the lower part and to establish the army inside it, thus completing the most impregnable fortress in all of Al-Andalus. It is known that at the time of Yusuf’s death the fortification was not finished and it was his son Muhammad V who finished the project that established the need due to the advances in artillery and military tactics to take the high point above the citadel that was already there in order to create a bastion that would protect it, leaving Gibralfaro as the main bastion and last defensive redoubt with as its only entry point the fortified passageway that joined both buildings called Coracha. It occupies an area of 21,310 m², including Coracha and Barbican, with a perimeter of 1,310 meters of wall. The inner enclosure occupies 12,630 m², and is enclosed by a strong wall that measures 733 m. and consists of 30 sections and 8 towers, most of them solid.
The fortified complex of Alcazaba-Coracha-Gibralfaro has a strategic position, not only because it allows you to visually control the entire area from the height, but also because from a great distance you could see, as you approached Malaga, a gigantic and inaccessible fortification that protected the city and its bay. Of greater visual importance is the knowledge that at that time the entire mountainside was devoid of vegetation to avoid ambushes and that the sea water almost broke at the foot of the mountain.
To make the conquest of Gibralfaro Castle more difficult, only one access was established, and this was through a monumental gate, which was accessed from the Coracha and which communicated with the barbican that surrounds the entire outer perimeter. It has the typical “cornered” door layout, opening in a large tower that is protected by a double door that cuts through the barbican, and which forms a small courtyard inside with an area for the guardhouse. Today, access is through one of the four doors that open in the walls in Christian times to facilitate the access of supplies or military equipment.
During the capture of the city of Málaga, Ahmed el Zeqrí took refuge with a contingent of Gomeres (Volunteers of the Faith) in the fortification to prevent the city from surrendering to the Catholic Monarchs, taking advantage of the impressive defensive system, the permanent supply of water thanks to the numerous wells and the food supplies accumulated inside.
When the city passed into Christian hands, all the walls and towers were restored, including the barbican, which is why it remains in perfect condition today. Isabel and Fernando recognised the strategic importance of this fortification so much that they allocated the tithe on lime, tile and brick to the repair and maintenance of the city’s fortifications.
During the War of Independence, the castle was the subject of important fortification works and the scene of several events. Faced with strong pressure from the Spanish army and the guerrillas against the French occupation from 1812 onwards, the French began their withdrawal from Andalusia. In Malaga, they blew up all the fortifications they had built in Gibralfaro, while the last units of the French army abandoned the city. The mines placed in the castle blew up the Torre Nueva, the outer defences, the barracks, the battery on the seawall and the gunpowder store.
From this moment on, the castle was left to its fate due to its loss of defensive value and was used only as a military prison.
In 1938, a major project was undertaken to replant all the mountainsides with vegetation to prevent landslides caused by the rainwater. In 1977, the military buildings were demolished and the gardens were prepared for tourist visits, but this project was never completed, so the town council and the Junta de Andalucía undertook the restoration of walls, towers, paths, toilets, car parks, etc. between 1989 and 1999 so that we could visit it as we do today.
