The territory of Monda spreads out among a collection of mountain ranges that not only lend diversity to the landscape that they form but also a certain unique and unmistakable air to the area. It may not differ radically from other places in the Guadalhorce valley but there is an ineffable quality to the municipality that sets it apart from those it adjoins.

Be that as it may, places such as Moratán and Giamón, at the foot of the Canucha range and with their dense forests of evergreen oaks and cork oaks, are the sort that will be remembered even after one has seen many other natural beauty spots. It is with good reason that this area has been included in the Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park. To the north the terrain smoothes out and broad extensions of grain fields and olive trees appear, and close to the village the country is given over to terraced orchards and market gardens.
For a time there was some benefit for it to be accepted as a fact that it was here in the territory of Monda that the famous Battle of Munda occurred, in which Julius Caesar confronted Cneo and Pompey in 45 B. C. to seize control of Rome. Actually there is no historical documentation that that battle took place anywhere in this municipality, but it continues to be a nice story to tell visitors, and one that at least one other municipality in the province of Málaga has appropriated. The historical confusion seems to have arisen from the similarity of the names Munda and Monda.

It is considered proven that it was Omar Ben Hafsun who built the Al Mundat castle for defence from the attacks by the Caliphate of Córdoba, against which he had rebelled. This castle would be part of the Guadalhorce valley defensive system, but it was levelled by the strongman Sain Ibn Al-Mundir in year 308 of the hegira (along about 932 of the Christian era) and rebuilt in the eleventh century.
After the conquest of Málaga by Christian troops Monda came under the jurisdiction of the present provincial capital. Apparently the conquerors and the conquered coexisted peacefully until after the Moorish rebellion when the residents of Monda, like the rest of the old Kingdom of Granada, were expelled and replaced by Old Christians who settled on a more level area.

Outstandings Visits:
The village is spread over the less rugged part of a side of the hill on whose crest the castle sits. Nevertheless, there is no shortage of slopes, or of that Moorish atmosphere that envelops the most ancient part of the locality where the Santiago Apóstol parish church stands. It was built in the mid-sixteenth century and later restored. In its interior you may view the sixteenth century Chapel of Jesus, which preserves a number of Mudéjar features, and the Chapel of the Virgin, which has an interesting vault of Baroque gypsum artwork. On the exterior can be seen the coat of arms of Bishop-Friar Alonso de Santo Tomás and the three-level tower with its square base.

It is estimated, based on the archaeological remains that have been found, that the La Villeta castle was built in the third century B. C. and therefore during the roman epoch. Omar Ben Hafsun used it as one of his defensive strongholds but it fell into the hands of Saib Ibn Al-Mundir, who practically destroyed it. It was rebuilt in the eleventh century and partially demolished in 1498, years after the Christian conquest. At the present time it is a luxury hotel whose construction has respected those ancient features that could be salvaged.
The Fuente de la Jaula (La Jaula fountain) is one of Monda’s most representative architectural landmarks. It is an old sixteenth century roofed laundry with access by way of arcades, and makes use of the waters that will later be used for irrigation. The fountain was renovated in the eighteenth century.

The Casa Museo Mari Gloria (Mari Gloria house museum) seems less a museum, although it is that, than a leap back in time that gives a look at how life used to be in this village years ago. Formerly a bakery, it now houses utensils of all kinds, not only those used in making bread but also tools for tilling the soil, as well as antique furniture, decorative motifs from bygone ages and an endless number of details that will arouse the visitor’s curiosity.

How to Get There:
From the city of Málaga take the A-357 to Cártama and at that village take the A-355 to Coín. Connect thee with the A-366 in the direction of Alhaurín el Grande. After going 2.5 kilometres in that direction again take the A-355, which leads to Monda. The reason for getting off the A-355 onto the A-366 and then back on the A-355 is that there is a section under construction, and when it is finished it will not be necessary to use the A-366. If you are coming from Marbella you must likewise take the A-355, which in this case will lead directly to Monda.

 

 

Interesting Facts:
Surface Area: 58 square kilometres
Population: about 2,000
What the natives are called: Mondeños
Monuments: the Santiago church, La Villeta castle, La Jaula fountain and the Casa Museo Mari Gloria (Mari Gloria house museum)
Geographical Location: in the southern part of the Guadalhorce valley region. The village is 44 kilometres from the provincial capital and 10 from Coín, and is 380 metres above sea level. Average rainfall in the municipality is 700 litres per square metre and the average temperature is 17º C.
Tourist Information: Town Hall: Calle José Macías, 1 (29110). Telephone: 952 457 069; Fax: 952 457 180