Almargen: Church, Museums and the Dehesa de Yeguas

Culture

The Iglesia Parroquial de la Purísima Concepción was built in the 16th century and remodelled in the 17th century. Its Mannerist main portal is crowned by a Baroque bell gable. Inside, original Mudéjar roof structures with loop ornaments cover the nave and the presbytery. Thus, the church is characterised on the outside by the interplay of the portal and bell gable, while inside the roof structures with their ornaments form the defining historic architectural element.

The Museo­graphic Collection “Almargen: Orilla de Tartessos” displays a Tartessian warrior stele. It also displays the “Ídolo de la Fertilidad de Almargen”. The sculpture is made of white marble and dates from the Copper Age. Both exhibits form part of the presentation of the town’s Tartessian and Copper Age past, with the marble idol described particularly precisely in terms of its material and chronological classification.

The “Centro de Interpretación de Almargen” Museum is housed in a former water reservoir that was repurposed to present the cultural heritage. The museum displays the exhibit “Espada forjada en bronce” from the Tartessian period. The Museo de Almargen provides visitor assistance, guided tours of the hall, and local and regional tourist information. In this way, the museum site combines the repurposed architectural structure with an exhibit from the Tartessian period and the services mentioned on site.

Festivals

Easter Sunday in Almargen is recognised as part of Holy Week in the intangible cultural heritage. The patron-saint festivities in honour of San Cosme and San Damián take place on 26 and 27 September. The Romería de Nuestra Señora de Fátima takes place at the end of May in the La Saucedilla area. The festivals mentioned and Easter Sunday represent different occasions and locations within Almargen’s annual calendar.

At the foot of the Sierra de Cañete, in the El Almirón area, a group of artificial caves with vertical shaft entrances extends for more than 200 metres. Their location at the foot of the Sierra and the vertical entrances are the defining features of this cave group, which extends for more than 200 metres.

Other places you can discover on andalusien-netz.de include Arroyo Coche, Serrato, Sayalonga, Benahavis, Alpandeire, Bobadilla, Carratraca and Torre de Benagalbón.

Landscape

The Salado River rises in the Casa Blanca area. It carries iodine-rich water with medicinal properties. These properties have been known since at least Roman times. The river’s source in the Casa Blanca area is therefore just as much part of its description as the traditional knowledge of its properties dating back to Roman times.

The municipal swimming pool lies north of the town centre on the Salado River. It uses salt water from the river. Its location north of the town centre and its use of river water thus identify both the pool’s location and its distinctive water source.

Hiking

The SL-A 311 “Dehesa de Yeguas” is a circular hiking route. It follows the Cañada Real de Almargen a Sierra de Yeguas and the old Camino de la Dehesa. In the municipality of Almargen (Málaga), it is a designated hiking trail for sporting activities.

The route passes the former Pedro Santo iron mine. Entering the mine is discouraged because of the risk of collapse. The route also passes the landscape feature known as “piedra dorada”.

The trail crosses an agricultural plain. The plain features olive groves, cereal fields and occasional windmills. The SL-A 311 “Dehesa de Yeguas” is considered not very demanding. It is considered suitable for family outings. The route therefore focuses both on following the historic paths mentioned above and on the agricultural plain with its individual landscape features.

For the broader travel overview: Málaga.