The green of the Guadalhorce valley and, in the citrus blossoming season, the fragrance of orange blossoms impregnate a large part of the territory of this municipality, whose centre of population is divided into two zones, Cártama Pueblo and Cártama Estación.

They are very close together and stretch out at the foot of the low Espartales and Llanas mountain ranges, each of which, are 400 metres high, and which together form what is known as the Sierra de Cártama.
Given the abundance of water, the valley plains are ideal for raising citrus and vegetables, while in the north the territory joins the Málaga mountains, whose rounded heights seem to be covered with olive and almond trees, with farmhouses scattered here and there as is so typical of a region of small farms. Westward, well within the Guadalhorce region, rises the Gibralgalia range, where the municipal borders of Casarabonela, Coín and Pizarra meet.
Beginning with the Tartessians and Phoenicians the modern territory of Cártama has been occupied by all the succeeding civilisations.

 

The Phoenicians called the primitive settlement Cartha (hidden city), and the Romans derived the name Cartima from this. In the year 195 B. C. the Roman consul Marcus Poncius Cato granted it the status of a municipality and provided it with strong defences. The archaeological sites that have been discovered from the Roman era show that the village must have had a good number of inhabitants. It is thus safe to say that during the Roman period the town was one of the most important in what is today the province of Málaga.
Both the Visigoths and the Arabs were to reinforce the original fortress in later years, but it would be the latter that, aware of its strategic location, modified and consolidated it to the point that during the Nazarite period the castle became a defensive, economic and political nerve centre.

 

 

In 1485, the Christian troops managed to enter the castle, although not without difficulty, and it was to become a kind of general headquarters of the Catholic Monarchs’ armies. It was in this castle that the conquest of Ronda and Málaga was prepared. After the taking of Granada the fortress fell into disuse until the War of Independence, when it served as a refuge for French soldiers.

Outstandings Visits:
The Castillo (Castle) is behind the patron saint hermitage and is being restored. It is the most ancient monument in the locality as it was erected by its first settlers. Its highest part is rectangular and in the centre is the water tank, which was dug out of the rock and covered by a vault that is perforated for the purpose of capturing rainwater. Judging from its capacity the tank would have been able to supply about 2.000 people. There are ruins of the old parade grounds and of what may have been the “alcazaba” (innermost fortified compound), as well as of the double walls or barbican that encircled it.

The San Pedro church is in the village square. It was built in 1502, according to an inscription still preserved on the main façade. It was constructed over a former mosque that in turn was placed over a Roman temple. It has three naves and is covered by Moorish decorated ceilings. The altars and images adorning its interior are of modern manufacture, and on the exterior, there is a remarkable quadrangular three-level tower with a roof of Arabic tile.
It would be unforgivable to leave Cártama without first having seen the hermitage of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, the patron saint, although the trip may not be exactly easy. The sloping route zigzags upward to the hermitage and in places, there are steps to get across the very uneven terrain. The effort will be well rewarded upon arrival at the temple, which commands one of the best panoramic views of the Guadalhorce valley.
Apparently, the present hermitage, which is from the eighteenth century, had a predecessor from the sixteenth century. According to tradition, in that era there was an appearance in this place of the Virgin, whose image was borne in a procession when the village was suffering the ravages of an epidemic. With the disappearance of the diseases, the Virgin received the title “de los Remedios” (“of the Remedies”), and the devotion that she inspires extends far beyond the borders of this municipality.

How to Get There:
The village is only 20 kilometres from the city of Málaga and is perfectly linked to it by the A-357. The trip, normally, does not take more than 15 minutes.

Interesting Facts:
Surface Area: 105 square kilometres
Population: approximately 15,000
What the natives are called: Cartameños
Monuments: The castle-fortress, San Pedro church, Nuestra Señora de los Remedios hermitage, sixteenth century fountain, Casa Museo González Marín (González Marín House Museum), Roman ruins
Geographical Location: in the Guadalhorce valley region, 21 kilometres from Málaga and about 260 metres above sea level. Average annual rainfall in the area is 550 litres per square metre and the average temperature is 17º C.
Tourist Information: Town Hall, Plaza de la Constitución, 3 (29570). Telephone: 952 422 126; Fax: 952 422 349