Once considered the most impregnable fortress in Spain, the Gibralfaro (Castle) overlooks and protects the Malaga Alcazaba, both on a high ridge with the city below.
By Nick Nutter | Updated 16 Feb 2024 | Málaga | Places To Go |
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The Gibralfaro from the Alcazaba at Malaga
Dominating the central part of the city of Málaga is the hill known as Gibralfaro. The name comes from the Arabic Yabal – mountain and the Greek Faruk which means lighthouse, hence Gibralfaro.
It is interesting to speculate whether the Phoenicians did actually use the hill as a lighthouse. There was certainly a settlement there, built on terraces, with its own defenses. Both settlement and defenses were extended by the Romans. The name of the hill is normally given to the castle that sits upon it so you can talk about the Castle at Málaga and the Gibralfaro at Málaga, the terms are interchangeable.
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Courtyard at Malaga Alcazaba
The Moors arrived in 711 but it was not until 1050 AD that the King of Granada, Badis el Ziri, ordered the building of an Alcazaba to be used as a royal residence and to protect the town beneath its walls from the pirates who were increasingly threatening coastal settlements. Unusually, the Alcazaba was not built around the highest point, the Gibralfaro, but on a spur of the hill somewhat lower down.
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Alcazaba at Malaga
Until the 14th century, this was of little concern. However, the introduction of cannon fired by gunpowder made the Alcazaba vulnerable from this higher point, the Gibralfaro, just a couple of hundred metres away.
Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada from 1333 to 1354, ordered the building of a castle and more improvements to the Alcazaba. This is the chap who also had the Gate of Justice in Granada built, now the entrance to the Alhambra Palace. Zig-zagging between the castle and the Alcazaba there is a double wall that forms a protected passageway between the two complexes. This feature is known as a Coracha and part of it can be seen through the trees in the two images above.
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Malaga Alcazaba gardens
Within the imposing walls of the castle, there is a deep well to secure a water supply, and terraces laid out with herb and fruit gardens to supplement the diet of the defenders. Two large ovens supplied bread.
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Malaga Gibralfaro
For a time, Málaga was considered the most impregnable fortress on the Iberian Peninsula.
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Ceramic dish with boat motif - Moorish 12th century
Just over a hundred years later, in 1487, the defenses were put to the test when Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile laid siege to the city. This was the first recorded conflict in which both defensive and attacking sides used gunpowder. The Malagueños lasted three months before surrendering.
Following the siege, Ferdinand and Isabella must have had a tiff, he took up residence in the Alcazaba whilst she slept in the town. Or perhaps she just did not like climbing the hill.
The castle was occupied by the military right through until 1925, serving as a garrison and then as a training establishment. During that time, it saw a little action. In 1656, the castle was bombarded by five British frigates during the Anglo-Spanish War. The damage was minimal. Then in 1810, the city was occupied by the French during the Peninsular War.
In July 1873, during the Cantonal Revolution, Málaga was one of the cities in Spain that, disgruntled with the short lived First Republic government, decided to unilaterally declare independence by becoming a self governing Canton. The Gibralfaro was the main defensive position manned by militia who would rather have been at home with their families.
Less than a month later, on the 3rd August, Málaga surrendered to a detachment of gendarmes and a few members of the line regiments who had not gone over to the Cantonist side led by General Pavia.
A visit to the Malaga Alcazaba and Gibralfaro usually starts at the Alcazaba where you can buy a ticket that gains you entrance to both monuments. You can also buy tickets in advance on their official website.
There is free entry on Sundays after 2.00pm and it can get very crowded as scores of people flock to take advantage of it!
If you love history, taking a guided tour of the Alcazaba is a great way to learn more about the origins of the monument and discover hidden legends.
Prefer a more personalized experience? This private tour includes not just the Alcazaba but also the Malaga Picasso Museum and the Malaga Cathedral for a more comprehensive experience of the city.
Check out other top-rated tours of the Malaga Alcazaba below.
The Malaga Alcazaba, although a little smaller, is as beautiful as the ones at Almeria or Granada. Courtyards intersperse the formal gardens with ornately decorated rooms leading off. Water features play a prominent role, cooling and refreshing the air. It is, altogether, a delightful place.
Within some of the rooms you will see displays of Moorish glassware, richly coloured, fit for the Sultans that used it.
After the coolness within the Alcazaba, it is a shock to find that, if you are walking, the path to the Gibralfaro is outside the walls, up the side of the hill itself. What would have been bare earth and rock has now been transformed into gardens with the path zigzagging up through shrubs and flowers.
You'll find the path to the Gibralfaro on your left-hand side after you exit the Alcazaba. The walk is all uphill so allocate yourself enough time (20 to 30 minutes) to get to the Gibralfaro entrance. If you're visiting in the afternoon, do note that the last entry is at 5.15pm and the monument closes at 6.00pm.
A breathless climb brings you out at the Parador de Malaga, from where it is a short stroll to the entrance to the Gibralfaro. Keep your ticket handy as you'll need it to enter.
The main courtyard as you enter the castle houses an Interpretation Centre, formerly the Military Museum, with an exhibition of the history of the Gibralfaro as seen by its occupants through time.
You can climb the Torre Mayor for spectacular views over the city. The main courtyard also contains a well, reputedly Phoenician, together with the remains of a bath house and a later well that was dug 40 metres down through solid rock.
Below the main courtyard is a second courtyard. This used to be for the barracks and stables.
The distinctive tower facing north east is the Torre Blanca. From this tower, you can patrol the battlements and enjoy a 360-degree panorama of the city, the bay, the coast west and east and the mountains. The views are magnificient and your effort of getting up to the Gibralfaro will be well worth it!
There's no doubt that the Gibralfaro and Alcazaba are the city's top sights but there are many other things to discover in Malaga! Read our guide to Malaga to plan your visit and check out the top things to do in Malaga.
You may also be interested in our other Malaga articles:
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