Carratraca’s Town
Hall, known also as the Arab House |
Carratraca is situated in the northern part of the
Guadalhorce Valley, between Ardales and Álora at an altitude of 540 metres
right in the heart of the Sierra Blanquilla, from which its famous river
flows. To the south is the Sierra de Alcaparaín, with its "El
Grajo" peak at 1,200 metres above sea level. This position provides the
town with a mild climate all the year round: warm in summer and comfortably
cool in winter.
The origins of the town are relatively recent, going back to the
amplification of the spa in the 19th century, the result of which made
Carratraca one of the principal tourist attractions of the region right
through the latter half of the 19th century and the 20th century. The
present spa building, designed in the neo-classical style and built in stone
and marble, is in calle Baños. It was built around the middle of the19th
century, and officially opened in 1855. The land upon which it was built
belonged to the Conde de Teba, father of Eugenia de Montijo, under the one
condition that one of the baths would be for the exclusive use of the
family, an agreement that is still in force. The curative powers of the spa
water has been scientifically proved, and it is said to be very good for the
alleviation of skin and rheumatic ailments, arthritis and nervous system
disorders, among other health problems. Among the famous personalities to
have visited the spa are Moreno Carbonere, Rilke and Romero de Torres, with
celebrities like the writer Antonio Gala, María Victoria Atencia and actor
Antonio Banderas being among more recent bathers.
Surrounding the town is a landscape that compares favourably with the most
beautiful in Andalucía, and it is of great interest to nature lovers. One
of the most popular routes to take is the Ruta de la Sima, very close to the
town and exceptionally interesting for pot-holers. It is also worthwhile
climbing the Alcaparaín, 1,293 metres above sea level, and to see the
wonderful views from the peak, over Carratraca itself and the surrounding
countryside. Almost equally spectacular view can see enjoyed from the
Hermitage. La Cueva de los Murciélagos, the Cave of the Bats, situated on a
forest roadway that links Carratraca with Casarabonela, is also a visit
worth making.
Places
to be visited
 |
Town
Hall
The Town Hall building is situated in the north-east of the town,
in calle de la Glorieta, which is between the Spa and the Plaza de
Toros. It is known locally as the Arab House, for its Mudejar
style, although it dates from no further back than 1885, when
Doña Trinidad Grund de Heredia had it built. It was originally a
second home for her and her upper-class Malaga family. It has a
tower integrated into the building that leads on to a garden area.
The tower fell down in 1963, and the building was restored in
1991, a new tower being built and the gardens being restored. The
ground floor is now devoted to exhibitions and the Town Hall has
the middle floor, while the third floor is offices and
store-rooms.
Plaza de Toros
The bullring is situated to the north-east of the town, on the
side of the Sierra Blanquilla or Baños, the easiest access to it
being by calle de la Glorieta. Before it was built in 1878,
bull-fights were held in the town’s main plaza, but with the
large influx of visitors to the Spa and the town itself, this was
considered dangerous and a proper bullring was built. It holds
3,000 spectators, and has surprisingly effective acoustics. Many
famous bullfighters have performed there, and in our own day it is
the scene of minor bullfights during the August Feria. It is also
used to host festival events like the "Embrujo de Luna
Mora" (Bewitchment of the Moorish Moon) and the theatrical
representation of the Passion of Christ during the Holy Week
celebrations.
Tourist Routes
The improvement in roads in the area allows us easy access to
neighbouring towns like Pizarra, from where we can continue on to
Casarabonela. Another route, the Ruta de los Pantanos, takes us to
Ardales and Álora, where we can see the splendour of the lakes
and many monuments of great artistic and historic interest.
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| Where
to eat |
Casa
Pepa. Specialising in home cooking. C/Baños, 18. Tel:
952 458 049.
Venta El Trillo. Ctra.
Álora-Carratraca, s/n. Tel: 952 458 199.
Taberna Mesón El Parador.
Avda. Andalucía, 20. Tel: 952 458 211.
Venta El Punto. Ctra.
Carratraca-Ardales, s/n. Tel: 952 458 197.
Venta Martillo. Ctra.
Carratraca-Ardales, s/n. Tel: 952 458 056.
Café Bar Bragueta. Plaza de
la Constitución, s/n. Tel: 952 458 197.
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| Where
to sleep |
Bungalows
El Trillo. Ctra. Álora-Carratraca, s/n. Tel: 952 458
199.
Pensión Casa Pepa. C/Baños,
18. Tel: 952 458 049.
Rural
Accommodation in the province of Malaga
(in
Spanish)
|
View of a house in
Carratraca |
FIESTAS
One of the most traditional festivals in
Carratraca is the Passion and Death of Christ, in which more than 100
people from the town act. It takes place in the bullring on Good Friday
and Easter Saturday, at five in the afternoon. The Corpus Christi festival
is also very popular, with the streets and houses of the town decorated in
flowers and aromatic herbs in preparation for the procession through the
town centre. A recently recuperated tradition is the Night of San Juan, at
the end of June, when a huge bonfire is built. The August feria takes
place around the Day of the patron saint, Nuestra Señora de la Salud, on
August 15th.
GASTRONOMY
The most typical dishes in Carratraca are the
soups and stews like callos (pigs’ trotters and snouts), the cabbage
dishes and the delicious rabbit dishes. In summertime the people of the
place like to eat something lighter like omelettes with bread crumbs and
parsley, garlic and eggs, and potatoes and almond. The tarts cooked in olive
oil and sponge cake are very good here too.
CRAFTWORK
The people of Carratraca have maintained
their old tradition through the years, and we can still see beautiful pieces
of craftwork like baskets, mats and miniature figure made from rush. The
women of the town like to work in crochet, making wonderfully detailed rugs,
cushion covers and handkerchiefs by hand. There is also a certain amount of
woodcarving done here. Many artists too have visited this town to paint,
among them Frank North, Francisco Rodríguez "Bombita", J. Luis de
la Rosa "Demor" and the late Frans Van Bergen.
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