On its uppermost stretch, where the municipality of Faraján lies, the River Genal flows through deep ravines that its waters have formed by erosion over many thousands of years, forming a landscape that is rather simplistically called a caprice of nature when in fact it is the result of the never-ending struggle between water and stone.

Close by these ravines, peaks such as those of El Jordon, at more than 1,100 metres, and hills such as Los Haynes and La Rosa that approach 1,000 metres in height, mark the boundaries of this municipality.
A traveller arriving at Faraján enters a territory that has always been of difficult access, precisely because of its extremes of elevation, and which has, therefore, preserved to a high degree the appearance of unaltered terrain, something seldom or never seen in these parts. The people of Faraján and neighbouring villages indisputably deserve credit for this state of affairs, for they have learned to utilise the natural resources of the forests without damaging them.
The slopes, that the Genal rushes past, have dense vegetation with pine, evergreen oak, cork oak and chestnut trees abounding. It is interesting to recall how the fruit of that last species, the chestnut, was used in times past for fattening pigs, until the French discovered maroon glaze and with it introduced a culinary delight. At the present time, a high percentage of the chestnuts produced in this area are exported.

While traces of ancient cultures have been found within this municipality, the village originated during the period of Muslim domination, At that time several farm communities (Balastrar, Chucar, Catillejo and Cenajen) were inhabited by a number of North African tribes, and even by Jews and Christians, although the latter not by choice, but apparently after being taken prisoner.
Once the city of Ronda was taken by the Christian troops these farm communities were gradually depopulated and their inhabitants reestablished themselves in Faraján, a nucleus of population that was constituted as a possession of the Crown, politically subordinate to Ronda. With the expulsion of the Moors in the sixteenth century Faraján also was depopulated and people from other places were to come and settle in the village.

 

 

The fearlessness with which nearly all the communities of the Ronda highlands fought against the Napoleonic invasion is proverbial, and in recognition of this course of action, in the specific case of Faraján, King Fernando VII in 1814 granted it a Carta de Real Privilegio de Villa (Charter of Royal Burgh Privileges) in a document which states it is “in reward for constancy and loyalty, and hardships endured, during the War of Independence against the French”.

Outstandings Visits:
During a stroll through the village the visitor will notice the Moorish layout of its streets, and will see beyond the white of its houses the different shades of green of the nearby forest. The Virgen del Rosario church stands out amidst the simple traditional architecture of the houses. It was built in the sixteenth century and restored in the eighteenth and again modified in the mid-twentieth century. It is a modest structure in keeping with its setting, with a single nave that displays gesso artwork, on the Epistle Side.
Faraján’s true attraction, however, is its outdoors. Trail walking is absolutely recommended here, although there are areas that are accessible by jeeps. Not very far from the village, in the spot known as Las Chorreras (the Waterfalls), the Balastar stream forms two spectacular waterfalls some 50 metres high, and close by, the ruins of an ancient Arabic mill and part of the irrigation system used at that time can still be seen.

 

How to Get There:
If you start from the Costa del Sol on the AP-7 (N-340) expressway, at Manilva take the A-377 towards Ronda. When you get to Gaucín continue by way of the A-369, which is the same road as the previous one but with another designation, to Atajate. 10 kilometres past this village, turn onto the MA-515, which will lead to Alpandeire, and from that village the MA-516 will take you to Faraján. If you leave the town of Ronda also take the A-369, but towards Algeciras. After about eight kilometres you will come to the sign indicating the MA-515, which will take you to Alpandeire, and from there take the MA-516 to Faraján.

Interesting Facts:
Surface Area: 20.4 square kilometres
Population: about 300
What the natives are called: Farajeños or Celestotes
Monuments: the Nuestra Señora del Rosario church, Las Chorea’s (waterfalls)
Geographical Location: In the Alto Genal area of the Ronda region. It is 25 kilometres from Ronda and 144 from the city of Málaga. The village is 640 metres above sea level. The area’s average rainfall at 1,120 litres per square metre is abundant compared to other areas of the province of Málaga, and the annual average temperature is about 14º C.
Tourist Information: Town Hall, Calle Carihuela, 7 (29461). Telephone: 952 180 506; Fax: 952 180 555