Castle of Gibralpharo, Military fortress on Mount Gibralfaro, Málaga, Spain.
The castle consists of two concentric walls with defensive towers, positioned 132 meters above sea level overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and city center.
Built in 929 by Abd-al-Rahman III on Phoenician foundations, the fortress underwent major expansion during the 14th century under Sultan Yusef I of Granada.
The castle grounds contain the remains of an Islamic mosque that was later transformed into a Christian chapel dedicated to Saint Louis.
Visitors can access the castle through two routes: the Coracha path connecting to Alcazaba or the Camino de Mundo Nuevo trail through pine woods.
The fortress features the Airón Well, a 40-meter deep water reservoir carved into rock, dating back to Phoenician times.
Location: Málaga
Accessibility: No accesible en silla de ruedas
Part of: Conjunto Alcazabilla
Phone: +34952122020
GPS coordinates: 36.72322,-4.41164
Latest update: May 22, 2025 04:12
This collection brings together fortified military structures that show how defensive architecture has evolved across different eras and continents. Malbork Castle in Poland spans 140,000 square meters of brick constructions erected by the Teutonic Knights in the 13th century, while the Alhambra in Granada combines palaces and city walls in a complex where medieval Islamic architecture meets military needs. The Krak des Chevaliers in Syria reflects the defensive ingenuity of the Crusaders, and Suomenlinna, a naval fortress spread over six islands near Helsinki, illustrates how the Swedes and later the Finns fortified their Baltic coastlines in the 18th century. The sites include mountain strongholds like Masada, where Herod built a refuge on an isolated plateau of the Judean Desert, and Chittorgarh Fort in India, covering 7 square kilometers (about 2.7 square miles) and housing a protected city. In Europe, Edinburgh Castle has occupied its volcanic rock since the Middle Ages, while Bourtange in the Netherlands features the geometric bastion layout typical of 16th-century fortifications. Each fortress retains the elements that ensured its defense: walls, moats, watchtowers, and cisterns. These structures tell stories of sieges, conquests, and conflicts that shaped their regions and remain today prominent witnesses to world military history.
Between the Mediterranean and the Andalusian hills, Malaga blends southern warmth with a thousand-year history. Birthplace of Picasso, it combines Moorish fortresses, Renaissance churches, orange-scented alleys, and avant-garde museums. The Alcazaba overlooks the city from its Moorish walls, the Roman theater recalls its origins, and the Cathedral of the Incarnation connects the centuries. Along the port, the Pompidou Center, contemporary galleries, and subtropical gardens revitalize Andalusian modernity. The stroll is slow, between white light and warm shadows, from the Atarazanas market to the views of Gibralfaro. Malaga is no longer just a seaside stopover: it is a city to explore, to see, and to feel.
Alcazaba of Málaga
431 m
Gibralfaro
85 m
Plaza de toros de la Malagueta
325 m
English Cemetery in Malaga
463 m
Ayuntamiento building
439 m
Biznaguero
349 m
Fuente de las Tres Gracias
319 m
Palacio de la Tinta
401 m
Jardines de Pedro Luis Alonso
348 m
Iglesia de San Lázaro, Málaga
443 m
Paseo de Reding
299 m
Jardines de Puerta Oscura
346 m
Parador de Gibralfaro
139 m
Casas de Félix Sáenz
350 m
Museo del Patrimonio Municipal
249 m
Monument to Rubén Darío, Málaga
382 m
Edificio de viviendas Desfile del Amor
354 m
Museo del Císter
455 m
Chimenea de la antigua Fábrica de Energía Eléctrica
433 m
Gneisenau Monument
430 m
Monument to José Moreno Carbonero
354 m
Monument to Robert Boyd
472 m
Monument to Miguel de los Reyes
476 m
Monument to Cánovas del Castillo
383 m
Cruz de Lagunillas Fountain
480 m
Toro y torero
347 m
Puerta Oscura Gardens Fountain
313 m
Centro Cultural La Malagueta
310 mReviews
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