Nerja
Encyclopedia
Nerja is a municipality on the Costa del Sol
in the province of Málaga, Andalusia
, southern Spain
. It is on the country's southern Mediterranean coast, about 50 km east of Málaga
.
. Visitors to the caves will be able to view the remains of one of the ancient inhabitants of Nerja.
The Romans
built here three settlements, including Detunda, of which now large remains can be seen. The area was later taken over by the Arab
s in the early 8th century. Under the Moors
, the town was known as Narixa, which means "abundant spring", from which the present name derives.
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Its agricultural and silk products are said to have been famed throughout the Muslim world and in the markets of Damascus
as early as the 10th century.
The Balcón de Europa, a mirador or viewpoint which gives stunning views across the sea, is in the centre of the old town. Its name is popularly believed to have been coined by King Alfonso XII
, who visited the area in 1885 following a disastrous earthquake and was captivated by the scene. Local folklore says that he stood upon the site where the Balcón now stands, and said "This is the balcony of Europe". Local archive documents are said to show that its name predated this visit, but this has not prevented the authorities from placing a life-sized (and much photographed) statue of the king standing by the railing.
The Balcón area was originally known as La Batería, a reference to the gun battery which existed there in a fortified tower. This emplacement and a similar tower nearby were destroyed during the Peninsular War
. In May 1812, the British vessels Hyacinth
, Termagant and Basilisk
supported Spanish guerrillas on the coast of Granada, against the French. On 20 May, Termangant or Hyacinth opened fire and the forts were destroyed. Two rusty guns positioned at the end of the Balcón are reminders of these violent times. The huge lumps of rock, the remains of La Batería, visible in the sea at the end of the Balcón, are further evidence of this action.
and papaya
and widespread avocado
plantations in what is one of the major avocado growing regions in Europe. The sugar cane factory is still on the eastern edge of town, but is now empty.
It is the eastern-most town in the area known as the Axarquía
and has an official population of around 22,000 (in 2008) — nearly 30% of which are foreign residents, including around 2,600 British — although the true expatriate population is probably at least twice that. In the summer months, tourism swells the population several times more. The streets are narrow, some one way and some are pedestrians only. Cars line many streets and there are two main car parks to take the overflow.
The town is situated on a fairly steep hill. It has several beach
es set in coves beneath cliffs. It is also becoming a significant centre for walkers, thanks to the mountain scenery of the nearby Sierra de Almijara and Sierra Tejeda. The Sierra de Burno overlooks the town. Nerja is also the centre of scuba diving on the Costa del Sol, with the Natural Park of Maro - Cerro Gordo nearby.
The town has five supermarkets, a Lidl and many mini-marts spread around town. Nerja does not have any large stores of the main chains of shops in Spain. Nerja has a small exhibition hall in the High Street and February or March there is a parade of bicycles which attracts a few thousand cyclists, including people of all ages. Also a Carnival parades through the town with people lining the streets.
.
As well as two local bus routes, around town (from the Riú Mónica Hotel), there are buses from the top of the High Street by the Alsa ticket office to Málaga
, Caves of Nerja
, Frigiliana
, Maro
, Almuñécar
, Vélez-Málaga, Torre del Mar
, Granada
, Córdoba
, Seville
, Almería
, Motril
, and certain months, direct buses to and from Málaga airport.
, Italy San Juan
, Argentina
. Jorge Guillén
and Federico García Lorca
were longtime visitors and residents of the town.
Costa del Sol
The Costa del Sol is a region in the south of Spain, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, comprising the coastal towns and communities along the Mediterranean coastline of the Málaga province. The Costa del Sol is situated between two lesser known costas: Costa de la Luz and Costa Tropical...
in the province of Málaga, Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, southern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It is on the country's southern Mediterranean coast, about 50 km east of Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
.
History
Nerja has a long history, evidenced by the primitive paintings found in its famous Nerja caves, discovered in 1959. These caves are now believed to be just one entrance to a linked series of potholes stretching many miles into the mountains between Nerja and Granada, and which may yet prove to be one of the most extensive unexplored systems in EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Visitors to the caves will be able to view the remains of one of the ancient inhabitants of Nerja.
The Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
built here three settlements, including Detunda, of which now large remains can be seen. The area was later taken over by the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s in the early 8th century. Under the Moors
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...
, the town was known as Narixa, which means "abundant spring", from which the present name derives.
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
as early as the 10th century.
The Balcón de Europa, a mirador or viewpoint which gives stunning views across the sea, is in the centre of the old town. Its name is popularly believed to have been coined by King Alfonso XII
Alfonso XII of Spain
Alfonso XII was king of Spain, reigning from 1874 to 1885, after a coup d'état restored the monarchy and ended the ephemeral First Spanish Republic.-Early life and paternity:Alfonso was the son of Queen Isabella II of Spain, and...
, who visited the area in 1885 following a disastrous earthquake and was captivated by the scene. Local folklore says that he stood upon the site where the Balcón now stands, and said "This is the balcony of Europe". Local archive documents are said to show that its name predated this visit, but this has not prevented the authorities from placing a life-sized (and much photographed) statue of the king standing by the railing.
The Balcón area was originally known as La Batería, a reference to the gun battery which existed there in a fortified tower. This emplacement and a similar tower nearby were destroyed during the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
. In May 1812, the British vessels Hyacinth
HMS Hyacinth (1806)
HMS Hyacinth was an 18-gun ship-sloop of the Cormorant class in the Royal Navy, launched in 1806 at Great Yarmouth. In 1810 she was reclassed as a 20-gun Post-ship...
, Termagant and Basilisk
HMS Basilisk (1801)
HMS Basilisk was a built by Randall in Rotherhithe and launched in 1801. She served during the Napoleonic Wars protecting convoys from privateers, conducting close-inshore surveillance and taking enemy coastal shipping. She served briefly at the end of the French Revolutionary Wars, with most of...
supported Spanish guerrillas on the coast of Granada, against the French. On 20 May, Termangant or Hyacinth opened fire and the forts were destroyed. Two rusty guns positioned at the end of the Balcón are reminders of these violent times. The huge lumps of rock, the remains of La Batería, visible in the sea at the end of the Balcón, are further evidence of this action.
Main sights
- Caves of NerjaCaves of NerjaThe Caves of Nerja are a series of caverns close to the town of Nerja in Andalusia. Stretching for almost 5 km the caverns are one of Spain's major tourist attractions...
- Balcon of Europe
- The Aqueduct, built in the 19th century
- Baroque Hermitage of las Angustias (17th century)
- Church of El Salvador, in Baroque and Mudéjar style (17th century)
Modern Nerja
In more modern times, sugar cane production has given way to more valuable cash crops, particularly semi-tropical fruits such as mangoMango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
and papaya
Papaya
The papaya , papaw, or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya, the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae...
and widespread avocado
Avocado
The avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel...
plantations in what is one of the major avocado growing regions in Europe. The sugar cane factory is still on the eastern edge of town, but is now empty.
It is the eastern-most town in the area known as the Axarquía
Axarquía
Axarquía is a comarca of Andalusia, southern Spain. It is the wedge-shaped area east of Málaga. Its name is possibly traced back to Arabic الشرقية ....
and has an official population of around 22,000 (in 2008) — nearly 30% of which are foreign residents, including around 2,600 British — although the true expatriate population is probably at least twice that. In the summer months, tourism swells the population several times more. The streets are narrow, some one way and some are pedestrians only. Cars line many streets and there are two main car parks to take the overflow.
The town is situated on a fairly steep hill. It has several beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es set in coves beneath cliffs. It is also becoming a significant centre for walkers, thanks to the mountain scenery of the nearby Sierra de Almijara and Sierra Tejeda. The Sierra de Burno overlooks the town. Nerja is also the centre of scuba diving on the Costa del Sol, with the Natural Park of Maro - Cerro Gordo nearby.
The town has five supermarkets, a Lidl and many mini-marts spread around town. Nerja does not have any large stores of the main chains of shops in Spain. Nerja has a small exhibition hall in the High Street and February or March there is a parade of bicycles which attracts a few thousand cyclists, including people of all ages. Also a Carnival parades through the town with people lining the streets.
Public transport
Nerja is not integrated in the Málaga Metropolitan Transport ConsortiumMalaga Metropolitan Transport Consortium
The Málaga Area Metropolitan Transport Consortium is a Spanish public transport company founded on 18 September 2003 as an associative Public Law Body comprising the Andalusian Regional Government, Málaga Provincial Council and the local councils of Málaga, Mijas, Benalmádena, Rincón de la...
.
As well as two local bus routes, around town (from the Riú Mónica Hotel), there are buses from the top of the High Street by the Alsa ticket office to Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
, Caves of Nerja
Caves of Nerja
The Caves of Nerja are a series of caverns close to the town of Nerja in Andalusia. Stretching for almost 5 km the caverns are one of Spain's major tourist attractions...
, Frigiliana
Frigiliana
Frigiliana is a town and municipality in the province of Málaga, part of the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. The municipality is situated approximately 71 kilometres from Málaga, the provincial capital, and approximately 6 kilometres from Nerja.-Main sights:*Historic centre,...
, Maro
Maro
Maro may refer to:*A male name emanating from the Republic of Ragusa often used by noble families, such as:**Lucijan Toma Natal Maro Frano Pucic **Maro Bona...
, Almuñécar
Almuñécar
Almuñécar is a municipality in the Spanish Autonomous Region of Andalusia on the Costa Tropical between Nerja and Motril . It has a subtropical climate...
, Vélez-Málaga, Torre del Mar
Torre del Mar
Torre del Mar is a locality on the southern coast of Spain, part of the municipality of Vélez-Málaga, Axarquía, located in the province of Málaga.It is a popular summer tourist resort.-References:...
, Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
, Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
, Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, Almería
Almería
Almería is a city in Andalusia, Spain, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the province of the same name.-Toponym:Tradition says that the name Almería stems from the Arabic المرية Al-Mariyya: "The Mirror", comparing it to "The Mirror of the Sea"...
, Motril
Motril
Motril is a town and municipality on the Mediterranean coast in the province of Granada, Spain.Motril is the second largest town in the province, with a population of 59,163 as of 2008...
, and certain months, direct buses to and from Málaga airport.
Twin towns
PesciaPescia
Pescia is an Italian city in the province of Pistoia, Tuscany, central Italy.It is located in a central zone between the cities Lucca and Florence, on the banks of the homonymous river.-History:...
, Italy San Juan
San Juan, Argentina
San Juan is the capital city of the Argentine province of San Juan in the Cuyo region, located in the Tulúm Valley, west of the San Juan River, at above mean sea level, with a population of around 112,000 as per the ....
, Argentina
Cultural references
Nerja has been a source of inspiration for expatriate writers and artists, such as Scottish novelist Joan Lingard, French born author André LaunayAndré Launay
André Joseph Launay is a novelist, essayist, humourist and dramatist of French descent who writes in English under the pen names André Launay, Drew Launay, Andrew Laurance and Drew Lamark....
. Jorge Guillén
Jorge Guillén
Jorge Guillén y Álvarez was a Spanish poet, a member of the Generation of '27.-Biography:Jorge Guillén was born in Valladolid. His life paralleled that of his friend Pedro Salinas, whom he succeeded as a Spanish teaching assistant at the Collège de Sorbonne in the University of Paris from 1917 to...
and Federico García Lorca
Federico García Lorca
Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca was a Spanish poet, dramatist and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27. He is believed to be one of thousands who were summarily shot by anti-communist death squads...
were longtime visitors and residents of the town.
External links
- Official website
- Information about Nerja at andalucia.com
- The Nerja Donkey Sanctuary
- Cueva de Nerja The Nerja Caves (Spanish only)
- What to do in Nerja Festivities calendar
- Malaga Area Metropolitan Transport Consortium