Puerto Banús
Encyclopedia
Puerto José Banús, more commonly known as Puerto Banús is a marina
located in the area of Nueva Andalucía, to the southwest of Marbella
, Spain
on the Costa del Sol
. It was built in May 1970 by José Banús, a local property developer, as a luxury marina and shopping complex for the rich and famous. It has since became one of the largest entertainment centres in the Costa del Sol, and one of the favourite resorts of international celebrities, with 5 million annual visitors. Developed around a coastal village in the Mediterranean architectural style, Puerto Banús offers its visitors an extraordinary fare of expensive shopping malls, restaurants and bars with a marina studded with luxury yachts of the rich and famous with the interior streets having impressive archways and patios. Three kilometres inland is the Aloha Golf Club
in the urban suburb of Nueva Andalucía, known as the Golf valley, where British
and Scandinavian
s reside in large numbers.
, who participated in the design and construction of Beverly Hills, was visited in 1966 by Prince Alfonso de Hohenlohe to ask him to work on the Hotel Marbella Club. Schreck's first job was to meet José Banús (a close friend of Francisco Franco
), and convince him that Puerto Banús was not a suitable place to build huge skyscrapers that would house thousands of wealthy families. He proposed a sophisticated Andalusian village and marina, the first port made by a single architect. José Banús became the largest developer of residential tourism complexes on the Costa del Sol. The port took his name and he became famous with the epithet "the regime’s builder."
The lavish opening of the complex in May 1970 was attended by, amongst others, the Aga Khan
, film director
Roman Polanski
, Playboy
founder Hugh Hefner
, Dr. Christiaan Barnard
(pioneer of the heart transplant), and Prince Rainier
and Princess Grace
of Monaco
. A young Julio Iglesias
was hired to sing for the guests for the enormous sum of 125,000 pesetas. Three hundred waiters from Seville
served 22 kilos of caviar
beluga to 1700 guests.
In 2011, it was reported that one of the largest-scale developments in Marbella's history was to take place with a 400 million euro investment into La Bajadilla, east of Marbella, by Qatari Sheikh Abdullah Ben Nasser Al-Thani which included 200 metres (656.2 ft) quay for cruise liners, a five-star hotel on the marina, as well as bars, restaurants, shops and supermarkets to compete with Puerto Banús.
of southeast Spain, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) southwest of Marbella, 64 kilometres (39.8 mi) southwest of Malaga
and 782 kilometres (485.9 mi) south of Madrid
. The climate of the area has contributed to its rise among the world's most exclusive locations, as it is protected in its northern part by the Coast Mountain Range of Cordillera Penibética
. It enjoys a microclimate that produces a mean annual temperature of 18 °C (64.4 °F).
The Malaga Airport
is 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) away. There is a good network of roads and transport services connecting Puerto Banús with adjacent towns and suburbs.
) and Arabs (especially Kuwait
and Saudi Arabia), along with Spanish tourists. The focal point of Puerto Banus is the marina
. It has berths for 915 boats, including those of the King of Saudi Arabia and several of the world's wealthiest individuals. Behind the harbour lie streets filled with bars, boutiques and nightclubs. The marina
has slips for boats and ships from 8–50 m (26.2–164 ). Its surface area is 15 hectares (37.1 acre), and its depth ranges from 3–6 m (9.8–19.7 ) within the marina, with 7.5 metres (24.6 ft) at its entrance. There is beach on each side of the marina. Boats can also be hired here. Many of the yacht
s moored within can enjoy an unobstructed view of La Concha mountain, one of the coast's landmarks.
Gucci
, Bvlgari, Versace
Dolce & Gabbana
, and others. One stretch is known as "The Golden Mile". At any time of day luxury cars such as Rolls Royce
, Ferrari
, Lamborghini
and Aston Martin
can be seen. Sammer Gallery displays contemporary art work. Apart from the chain of restaurants, boutiques, in the heart of the Antonio Banderas Square is one of the largest El Corte Ingles department stores in Spain, including the up-scale hypermarket, Hipercor.
, such as the Hotel Puente Romano and Hotel Marbella Club. Hotel Marbella Club was established in 1954, a very expensive hotel which has been cited as perhaps the finest hotel on the Costa del Sol.
The Marbella Club with 84 deluxe rooms as of 2006 "consists of numerous whitewashed Andalusian-style buildings, bungalows, and suites tucked away in the midst of sub-tropical gardens, a beach club, and a lovely outdoor patio restaurant". Other notable hotels include Hotel Meliá Marbella Dinamar, Hotel PYR Marbella, Plaza Suites Puerto Banús or the Gran Hotel Gvadalpin Banús. Real estates as prestigious as Theresa Bernabé or Kristina Szekely sell apartments and villas for up to 30 million euros in Puerto Banús.
and the Mezquita
and accommodates over 1000 people. The Buddha Beach Bar and the Ocean Club on the beach are popular during the daytime, especially with British celebrities.
The Boulevard de la Fama de Puerto Banús was created to pay tribute to individuals who have promoted Marbella nationally or internationally through their professional dedication.
by Salvador Dalí
was placed in Puerto Banús in 2004. Officially known as Rinoceronte vestido con puntillas ("Rhinoceros
dressed in lace
"), Dalí created the sculpture in 1956 following the filming of his surrealist movie La aventura prodigiosa de la encajera y el rinoceronte ("The prodigious adventure of the lacemaker and the rhinoceros") in 1954. Another impressive statue sculpted in bronze
and copper
by the Georgia
n sculptor Zurab Tsereteli
is that of "La Victoria", which stands tall at 26 metres (85.3 ft) height over a granite pedestal. Unveiled in 1994, it was a gift from the Mayor of Moscow
.
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
located in the area of Nueva Andalucía, to the southwest of Marbella
Marbella
Marbella is a town in Andalusia, Spain. It is situated on the Mediterranean Sea, in the province of Málaga, beneath the La Concha mountain. In 2000 the city had 98,823 inhabitants, in 2004, 116,234, in 2010 approximately 135,000....
, 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...
on the Costa del Sol
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...
. It was built in May 1970 by José Banús, a local property developer, as a luxury marina and shopping complex for the rich and famous. It has since became one of the largest entertainment centres in the Costa del Sol, and one of the favourite resorts of international celebrities, with 5 million annual visitors. Developed around a coastal village in the Mediterranean architectural style, Puerto Banús offers its visitors an extraordinary fare of expensive shopping malls, restaurants and bars with a marina studded with luxury yachts of the rich and famous with the interior streets having impressive archways and patios. Three kilometres inland is the Aloha Golf Club
Aloha Golf Club
Aloha Golf Club is a golf club, located 3 kilometres inland from Puerto Banus and 8 kilometres west of Marbella, Andalusia, Spain. It hosted the Open de Andalucia on the European Tour in 2007 and 2008....
in the urban suburb of Nueva Andalucía, known as the Golf valley, where British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Scandinavian
Scandinavians
Scandinavians are a group of Germanic peoples, inhabiting Scandinavia and to a lesser extent countries associated with Scandinavia, and speaking Scandinavian languages. The group includes Danes, Norwegians and Swedes, and additionally the descendants of Scandinavian settlers such as the Icelandic...
s reside in large numbers.
History
The architect Noldi SchreckNoldi Schreck
Arnold "Noldi" Schreck was a Siberian-born classical architect and designer. Also an artist, painter and decorator, he became a citizen of Mexico. Schreck designed restaurants, residences, hotels, clubs, offices, shops, movie sets, ports and entire villages...
, who participated in the design and construction of Beverly Hills, was visited in 1966 by Prince Alfonso de Hohenlohe to ask him to work on the Hotel Marbella Club. Schreck's first job was to meet José Banús (a close friend of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
), and convince him that Puerto Banús was not a suitable place to build huge skyscrapers that would house thousands of wealthy families. He proposed a sophisticated Andalusian village and marina, the first port made by a single architect. José Banús became the largest developer of residential tourism complexes on the Costa del Sol. The port took his name and he became famous with the epithet "the regime’s builder."
The lavish opening of the complex in May 1970 was attended by, amongst others, the Aga Khan
Aga Khan IV
Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, NPk, NI, KBE, CC, GCC, GCIH, GCM is the 49th and current Imam of the Shia Imami Nizari Ismaili Muslims. He has held this position under the title of Aga Khan since July 11, 1957, when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan...
, film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski is a French-Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few "truly international filmmakers."...
, Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
founder Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Marston "Hef" Hefner is an American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises.-Early life:...
, Dr. Christiaan Barnard
Christiaan Barnard
Christiaan Neethling Barnard was a South African cardiac surgeon who performed the world's first successful human-to-human heart transplant.- Early life :...
(pioneer of the heart transplant), and Prince Rainier
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco , styled His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years, making him one of the longest ruling monarchs of the 20th century.Though he was best known outside of Europe for having married American...
and Princess Grace
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
of Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
. A young Julio Iglesias
Julio Iglesias
Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva , better known simply as Julio Iglesias, is a Spanish singer who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in 14 languages and released 77 albums. According to Sony Music Entertainment, he is one of the top 15 best selling music artists in history,...
was hired to sing for the guests for the enormous sum of 125,000 pesetas. Three hundred waiters from 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...
served 22 kilos of caviar
Caviar
Caviar, sometimes called black caviar, is a luxury delicacy, consisting of processed, salted, non-fertilized sturgeon roe. The roe can be "fresh" or pasteurized, the latter having much less culinary and economic value....
beluga to 1700 guests.
In 2011, it was reported that one of the largest-scale developments in Marbella's history was to take place with a 400 million euro investment into La Bajadilla, east of Marbella, by Qatari Sheikh Abdullah Ben Nasser Al-Thani which included 200 metres (656.2 ft) quay for cruise liners, a five-star hotel on the marina, as well as bars, restaurants, shops and supermarkets to compete with Puerto Banús.
Geography and climate
Puerto Banús is located on the Costa del SolCosta 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...
of southeast Spain, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) southwest of Marbella, 64 kilometres (39.8 mi) southwest of Malaga
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...
and 782 kilometres (485.9 mi) south of Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. The climate of the area has contributed to its rise among the world's most exclusive locations, as it is protected in its northern part by the Coast Mountain Range of Cordillera Penibética
Cordillera Penibética
The Cordillera Penibética mountain range is the most southerly of the Baetic Cordillera; it runs along the south coast of Andalusia, from the province of Cádiz, across the province of Almería, into the Region of Murcia...
. It enjoys a microclimate that produces a mean annual temperature of 18 °C (64.4 °F).
The Malaga Airport
Málaga Airport
Málaga Airport , also known as Malaga Costa Del Sol Airport and Pablo Ruiz Picasso Airport, is the fourth busiest airport in Spain after Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca. It is an important airport for Spanish tourism as it is the main international airport serving the Costa Del Sol....
is 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) away. There is a good network of roads and transport services connecting Puerto Banús with adjacent towns and suburbs.
The complex
According to the Municipality of Marbella, Puerto Banus is visited annually by nearly 5 million people. Visitors to the port tend to be mostly tourists from northern Europe (especially United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) and Arabs (especially Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and Saudi Arabia), along with Spanish tourists. The focal point of Puerto Banus is the marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
. It has berths for 915 boats, including those of the King of Saudi Arabia and several of the world's wealthiest individuals. Behind the harbour lie streets filled with bars, boutiques and nightclubs. The marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
has slips for boats and ships from 8–50 m (26.2–164 ). Its surface area is 15 hectares (37.1 acre), and its depth ranges from 3–6 m (9.8–19.7 ) within the marina, with 7.5 metres (24.6 ft) at its entrance. There is beach on each side of the marina. Boats can also be hired here. Many of the yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
s moored within can enjoy an unobstructed view of La Concha mountain, one of the coast's landmarks.
Shopping
Its streets are lined with expensive luxury boutiques like Christian DiorChristian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
Gucci
Gucci
The House of Gucci, better known simply as Gucci , is an Italian fashion and leather goods label, part of the Gucci Group, which is owned by French company PPR...
, Bvlgari, Versace
Versace
Gianni Versace S.p.A. , usually referred to as Versace, is an Italian fashion label founded by Gianni Versace in 1978.The first Versace boutique was opened in Milan's Via della Spiga in 1978, and its popularity was immediate. Today, Versace is one of the world's leading international fashion houses...
Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce & Gabbana is an Italian luxury industry fashion house. The company was started by the Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana in Milan, Italy. By 2005 their turnover was €597 million....
, and others. One stretch is known as "The Golden Mile". At any time of day luxury cars such as Rolls Royce
Rolls-Royce Motors
Rolls-Royce Motors was created from the de-merger of the Rolls-Royce car business from Rolls-Royce Limited in 1973. The original Rolls-Royce Limited had been nationalised in 1971 due to the financial collapse of the company, caused in part by the development of the RB211 jet engine...
, Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
, Lamborghini
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian car manufacturer. The company was founded by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with established offerings from marques like...
and Aston Martin
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
can be seen. Sammer Gallery displays contemporary art work. Apart from the chain of restaurants, boutiques, in the heart of the Antonio Banderas Square is one of the largest El Corte Ingles department stores in Spain, including the up-scale hypermarket, Hipercor.
Hotels
Several of the local hotels are listed in The Leading Hotels of the WorldThe Leading Hotels of the World
The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. is a hospitality consortium owned by Hotel Representative, A.G. It represents over 430 hotels and resorts worldwide. Headquartered in New York City, the consortium maintains offices in 24 cities world wide....
, such as the Hotel Puente Romano and Hotel Marbella Club. Hotel Marbella Club was established in 1954, a very expensive hotel which has been cited as perhaps the finest hotel on the Costa del Sol.
The Marbella Club with 84 deluxe rooms as of 2006 "consists of numerous whitewashed Andalusian-style buildings, bungalows, and suites tucked away in the midst of sub-tropical gardens, a beach club, and a lovely outdoor patio restaurant". Other notable hotels include Hotel Meliá Marbella Dinamar, Hotel PYR Marbella, Plaza Suites Puerto Banús or the Gran Hotel Gvadalpin Banús. Real estates as prestigious as Theresa Bernabé or Kristina Szekely sell apartments and villas for up to 30 million euros in Puerto Banús.
Restaurants and bars
The area contains a variety of restaurants ranging from Chinese, Japanese, Persian and Italian to major fast food companies. Notable restaurants include Antonio serving seafood and international cuisine, Cipriano, Dalli's Pasta Factory, Los Bandidos, Picasso pizzeria and the newer Dani Garcia’s La Moraga and the Hard Rock Café. Notable nightspots include Vanity, Olivia Valere, La Meridiana and China White (formerly Dreamers), a night club which accommodates up to 1400 people. Olivia Valere, established in 1981, is a night club located along the "Golden Mile", housed in a Moorish-style replica of the AlhambraAlhambra
The Alhambra , the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra , is a palace and fortress complex located in the Granada, Andalusia, Spain...
and the Mezquita
Mezquita
The Cathedral and former Great Mosque of Córdoba, in ecclesiastical terms the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción , and known by the inhabitants of Córdoba as the Mezquita-Catedral , is today a World Heritage Site and the cathedral of the Diocese of Córdoba...
and accommodates over 1000 people. The Buddha Beach Bar and the Ocean Club on the beach are popular during the daytime, especially with British celebrities.
The Boulevard de la Fama de Puerto Banús was created to pay tribute to individuals who have promoted Marbella nationally or internationally through their professional dedication.
Culture
A three-ton statue of a rhinocerosRhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
by Salvador Dalí
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
was placed in Puerto Banús in 2004. Officially known as Rinoceronte vestido con puntillas ("Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
dressed in lace
Lace
Lace is an openwork fabric, patterned with open holes in the work, made by machine or by hand. The holes can be formed via removal of threads or cloth from a previously woven fabric, but more often open spaces are created as part of the lace fabric. Lace-making is an ancient craft. True lace was...
"), Dalí created the sculpture in 1956 following the filming of his surrealist movie La aventura prodigiosa de la encajera y el rinoceronte ("The prodigious adventure of the lacemaker and the rhinoceros") in 1954. Another impressive statue sculpted in bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
and copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
by the Georgia
Georgian people
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
n sculptor Zurab Tsereteli
Zurab Tsereteli
Zurab Konstantines dze Tsereteli is a Georgian-Russian painter, sculptor and architect who holds the office of President of the Russian Academy of Arts.- Life :...
is that of "La Victoria", which stands tall at 26 metres (85.3 ft) height over a granite pedestal. Unveiled in 1994, it was a gift from the Mayor of Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.