Colmenar: Churches, Mountains and Fiesta del Mosto y la Chacina

Culture and History

Colmenar is home to the parish church Iglesia parroquial de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. It was completed in 1658. The church is divided into three naves separated by pillars. The tower still displays a certain Mudéjar influence.

The Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria dates from the early 17th century. It consists of a single-nave church interior, which includes a presbytery and a camarín. Colmenar’s patron saint is venerated in the ermita. The camarín, created in 1719, has a hemispherical dome. Its decoration is lavish and Baroque. In 1996, the ermita was registered for designation as a monument.

The two religious buildings have different spatial layouts. While the parish church consists of three naves separated by pillars, the ermita centres on a single-nave church interior with a presbytery and camarín. The dates also emphasize different aspects: the parish church was completed in 1658, while the ermita’s camarín was created in 1719.

The Museo de Historia y Tradiciones de Colmenar y los Montes de Málaga is dedicated to interpreting and honouring the agricultural architecture of the Málaga mountains. Its time frame extends from the 16th to the 19th century. The examples included feature mountain wine presses, known as lagares de montaña.

The museum thus brings together the place name Colmenar and the wider area of the Montes de Málaga. The mountain wine presses are an explicitly named example within the agricultural architecture. Together with the churches, they create a thematic arc from religious buildings to the agricultural structures characteristic of the Málaga mountains.

Bus route M-251 operates on the Málaga–Casabermeja–Colmenar–Riogordo route. Its sequence of stops connects Colmenar with Málaga, Casabermeja and Riogordo.

Cuisine

At the Fiesta del Mosto y la Chacina, exhibitors offered cured meats, cheese and wines for sale. Extra virgin olive oil, bread and confectionery were also available for purchase. The fiesta includes a tapas route through the bars in Colmenar town centre.

The products mentioned cover various areas of the local festival cuisine: wines, extra virgin olive oil, bread and confectionery are added to the cured meats and cheeses. The tapas route complements this selection with its own series of stops at the bars in the town centre. Thus, both the goods on display and the route are explicitly linked to the Fiesta del Mosto y la Chacina.

More pages about localities: Carratraca, Alhaurin De La Torre, Benalmadena, Serrato, Genalguacil, Los Villalones, Mollina and Sedella.

Landscape

The landscape around Colmenar includes rocky mountains to the north and south. Olive groves and grain fields form part of the landscape to the east and west. The Sierra de Camarolos is considered one of the most scenic areas around Colmenar.

The cardinal directions clearly define the landscape: rocky mountains lie to the north and south, while olive groves and grain fields extend to the east and west. Within this landscape, the Sierra de Camarolos is considered one of the most scenic areas around Colmenar.

For the higher-level travel overview: Málaga.