Alora, Andalusia province and villages, Spain

ITS WHITE FORM RISES ABOVE THE GUADALHORCE VALLEY, POINTING OUT THE WAY. ROMAN AND GOTH, YET PROFOUNDLY ARAB, ALORA IS FULL OF BRIGHT ANDALUSIAN CHARM.

39 kilometres from Málaga, in the heart of the Guadalhorce valley, is Alora, a beautiful town lying 200 metres above sea level. Its highly productive and extensive agriculture, its magnificent cuisine, its interesting calendar of events, vast cultural heritage and the abundance of nature here, make a visit to Alora a must.
Alora, Andalusia province and villages, Spain Roman origins.
Archaeological remains tell of a Roman Alora. Among all the pieces found, a cylindrical monolith stands out, some 50 centimetres in diameter and almost a metre high, cut in the first century, at the time of the emperor Domicianus, on which can be read: Municipium Iluritanum. Today, this find can be seen on the patio of the main church.
Ancient Iluro, belonging to the province of Bética, gained such importance that its citizens had Roman privileges. Despite suffering heavy taxation, its growth continued due to the viatality of its livestock farming and the fertility of its soils for crops such as wheat, barley, honey, wine and oil. This incessant development activated trade with the capital of the Empire.
Alora, Andalusia province and villages, Spain In the 5th century, the Vandals took Iluro. From this period of Gothic domination, substantial remains can be found in the fortress, built into the Monte de las Torres.
The Arabs entered Alora after conquering Málaga. Its inhabitants, far from putting up a fight, negotiated the hand-over of control of the town to the invaders. So, all those who so wished, held on to their property without surrendering their religion, laws and customs. In return, it was agreed to pay the Arabs the same tributes that had been owed to the Visigoth monarchy. During the re-conquest, Alora was surrounded on numerous occasions. Its strategically placed castle, which overlook part of the Hoya de Málaga, was highly prized by the Castillian army. The Catholic Kings considred that Alora had to be taken before Málaga could be forced to surrender. The Christian troops besieged the town with 20.000 infantry, 9.000 horsemen and a distinguished artillery contingent. On 10 June, 1484, after nine days of fighting, Alora fell.

Alora, Andalusia province and villages, Spain Remains.
Alora, despite the housing boom, retains the structure of a typical Andalusian town, The ancient site is scattered over one of the sides of the hill upon which the castle stands. The bastion, possibly erected by the Visigoths and later extended by the Arabs, retains two towers and a horseshoe arch in one of the stretches of the wall.
Of all the monuments, the La Encarnación church, which took a century to build (1600-1699), stands out. Erected over a enormous Tuscan columns covered with wooden frameworks. Another interesting building is the 16th century Veracruz hermitage, built to commemorate the victory over some Moorish rebels.
Just two kilometres from the town, on a peak from which one of the best panoramas of the Guadalhorce valley can be seen, is the Monastery of Nuestra Señora de las Flores, built in the 16th century and restored in the 18th.
Other areas of historic interest are Arroyo Hondo, from the Iberian era and the Roman reamins of the villa and baths at Canca and the Villa del Tesorillo.

Fiestas in Alora
Of all celebrations, Semana Santa (Easter holy week) stands out. "Jueves Santo" (holy Thursday) celebrates 'la Despedia', in which the effigies of Our Lady of Sorrows and Jesus of Nazareth say goodby to one another with the elaborate mano-euvring of their respective thrones.
Alora, Andalusia province and villages, Spain Local folklore includes the Alora fandango, ploughing and threshing songs and seesaw songs. Many experts even consider Alora the birthplace of the Malagueña Flamenco style.
Obviously we cannot forget to mention the "verdiales", so famous and common in these parts. On I May, after the procession to the Ermita de las Cruces, the bands of Almogía, Cártama and Pizarra come together to celebrate a verdiales fiesta. The Feria Real (royal fair) is also very popular, at which the "Sopas Perotas" competition is the most curious of the events. This dish is Alora's most typical culinary speciality. Food, celebrations, history, nature, hospitality... all good reasons for visiting Alora. You won't be desappointed.