Discover Árchez: Alminar and Mill Routes

Árchez lies in the valley of the río Turvilla at the foot of the Sierra de Tejeda and Sierra de Almijara mountain ranges. The Alminar de Árchez was declared a national historic-artistic monument by Royal Decree 1255/1979 of 20 April 1979.

Further destinations for orientation: Fuengirola, Atajate, Cortes De La Frontera, Jimera De Líbar, Los Villalones, Archidona, Villanueva De La Concepción, Sedella.

Culture

The Alminar de Árchez is 15 metres high and stands on a square plan with sides measuring 3.64 metres. Original layers of paint in almagra red have been preserved in the decorated panels. The Ruta Alminar is a 20-minute visit to Árchez’s 13th-century Mudéjar minaret, which is attached to the Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación church.

The Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación church was built around the old minaret tower and combines Gothic-Mudéjar architecture with Renaissance elements. It is a single-nave Mudéjar building with a wooden roof structure featuring tie beams; behind the choir are three simple camerinos. The parish church was open on Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and on Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. As part of the town hall programme, the key to the bell tower could be requested at Árchez Town Hall on any day.

Árchez preserves remnants of an old Arab town wall, which are mainly visible on the northern and western sides of the town; its historic course turned along Calle Álamos and Calle Cruz. The Casas de Gaudí in the municipality of Árchez form a picturesque group of bungalows built in the style of the master Antoni Gaudí. A 30-minute visit to the Casas de Gaudí is available in Árchez.

Árchez is part of the approximately 40-kilometre-long Ruta Mudéjar, which connects five villages in the Axarquía. The Ruta Mudéjar highlights the Torre de Árchez as one of its most important attractions.

History

The historic Molino Eulalio (Winkler) grain mill was used during the post-war period to distribute food through ration cards. The Ruta del Río y los Molinos begins opposite Árchez Town Hall, follows Calle Fuente Río Turvilla to the river, and passes an old mill. The Ruta Boabdil includes a visit to the exterior of the Molino Eulalio, where the entire process of flour production, from growing wheat to processing it, is explained. The 60-minute Ruta Boabdil includes a drink and a tapa.

Nature

The Paseo del Río Turvilla is a natural area in Árchez worth seeing. The long-distance hiking trail SL-A 277, the Ruta de los Molinos, connects Árchez with Canillas de Albaida, runs along the right bank of the río Turvilla, and connects both villages with the Gran Senda de Málaga.

To the higher-level travel overview: Málaga.