- Alhaurín el Grande
Alhaurin el Grande (Pop.2005 - 20,074) is a town located in the province of Málaga in
Andalucia in SouthernSpain , 30 km. from the provincial capital, and at 239 meters above the sea level. It is one of the most picturesque villages in theGuadalhorce river valley. Almost all the town streets are narrow and winding which these days causes some traffic congestion.It is situated between the river
Fahala and the stream of Blas González. The coast is close by, withFuengirola andMijas just along a winding road round the mountain, and a new road has been built through toMarbella , to the south west. The rolling hills and wide open spaces give a feeling of space from all around the town. From Alhaurín there is a lovely view over the "Hoya de Málaga ", Málaga's vale, full of lemon trees and other fruit trees, which together look like a vast carpet.The nearby towns of
Coín andAlhaurín de la Torre provide any missing services which might be needed. It has attracted many expatriate residents, the most famous of whom wasGerald Brenan .History
In the forested areas south-east of the village of Alhaurín el Grande there are traces of
Neolithic occupation: silent witnesses to the long history of human habitation of the area.By the time that the Romans arrived, the tiny
Iberian settlement in theSierra de Mijas was already well established, but if it had a name the Romans chose not to record it. Instead they gave it one of their own. The village becameLauro Nova . It was a spot apparently blessed by the gods: fertile,temperate , and surrounded by hills riddled with valuable mineral deposits. Roman villas popped up around the centre of the village and the hills are still dotted with their remains.It was a golden age which became a little tarnished during the time of the
Visigoths . The town was in no danger of disappearing, but its development was exceedingly slow. It was not until theMoors took it on and built it a fortress on a hilltop calledTorres de Fahala that it began to move again. TheMoors also gave it a new name: Alhaurín (Garden ofAllah ). Like the Romans before them, they linked the township to a second to which they gave the same name, the two now being known as Alhaurín "el Grande" and Alhaurín "de la Torre". To the Romans they had beenLauro Nova andLauro Vetus .The
fort was destroyed in the destructive zeal of theReconquista , but at least the village survived. Others close by, such asBenamaquis andFahala were not so fortunate.Alhaurín el Grande has endured a great deal. Waves of invaders, epidemics of plague, even an earthquake in 1680. During the
Peninsular War of 1808-14 it was occupied for four years by French troops and suffered considerable bombardment. Recently, there have been large-scale building projects, which are being investigated for corrupt practices. Some traces of the village's ancient past have survived. There is the 12th CenturyMoorish archway, the "Arcos de Cobertizo", which, while not being in any way spectacular (it stands close to the church and now leads nowhere) at least represents a tangible link with the past. In the smallplaza in front of the town hall, thePlaza del Ayuntamiento , are three Roman columns which were discovered close by atFuente del Sol .References
Much of the text of this article comes from the following site: http://www.andalucia.com/province/malaga/alhaurinelgrande/home.htm
Other relevant sites include:
* [http://www.cajaespana.es/pubweb/decyle.nsf/PorMunicipios/6DD7219333D41680C1256DC100542EFE/$File/29008.PDF?OpenElement Economic Study of Spain - Alhaurín el Grande]
* [http://www.foroalhaurino.com Alhaurin el Grande Forums]
* [http://www.foroalhaurino.com/directorio Alhaurin el Grande's Directory (links)]
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