History of Ronda’s Arab Baths

Arab baths in Ronda

Whilst in ruins now, the Arab Baths are still amongst some of the best preserved in Spain and offer a tantalising peek into Moorish life during the 13th to 16th centuries. Be sure to watch the animated short presentation (5 minutes) about the history of Ronda’s Arab Baths when you get here. The video presentation describes the water tower as a Noria (the modern Spanish word derived from Arabic), however the water pump in Ronda was a chain pump and is more correctly known today as a Saqiya.

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Top 10 places to visit in Ronda During Your Stay

Ronda bridge at night time
Heres the top 10 things to do in Ronda: Must-see attractions and activities.

What is Ronda famous for? Well, Ronda is a historic town with a rich cultural heritage spanning over 30,000 years. This charming city is renowned for its picturesque landscapes, scenic views and beautiful old town making it a must-visit destination for any traveler and in the top 5 most visited places in Andalucia.

So, lets start exploring the best things to do in Ronda! From historic sites to outdoor adventures, find out the top attractions and activities to enjoy during your stay

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Plaza de Toros (Bullring) in Ronda

The bullring or plaza de toros in Ronda, Andalucia

Even if, like me, you don’t agree with bullfighting, it is undeniable that the Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Ronda occupies a very special place in modern Spanish culture and history as the home of the Rondeño style of bullfighting and also of the Real Maestranza De Caballería De Ronda. A guided tour of Ronda and the bullring is well worth the small expense. The bullring was built entirely of stone in the 18th century, during the golden years of Pedro Romero’s reign as a champion bullfighter.

Plaza de Toros (Bullring) in Ronda
Plaza de Toros (Bullring) in Ronda. A guided tour is highly recommended
Would you like to visit a fighting bull farm in Ronda?

Reservatoro Ronda is a working breeding farm of fighting bulls and pure Andalusian horses, located just 5 km from Ronda. It was created by the now retired bullfighter Rafael Tejada. It is open to the public, giving visitors the opportunity to share in the lives of these animals throughout all their breeding stages and their fascinating selection process, as well as interact with them.

Reservatauro Ronda
Reservatauro Ronda is an active breeding farm for fighting bulls and purebred Andalusian horses, situated just 5 kilometers from Ronda.

You can book a visit over at Viator.

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Ronda’s Arab Walls and City Gates

City gates and defensive walls of Ronda in Andalusia
A secure city

Part of the reason Ronda is so important in the history of Andalucia directly relates to how secure the city was from attack.  The city walls in combination with the gorge and rio Guadalevin made Ronda’s Arab Walls and City Gates impervious from attack until the age of the cannon.

Whilst wooden palisades existed to protect neolithic communities and their successors before the constructions of the Roman castle, the reality is that most of the stone walls around Ronda directly owe their construction to the Islamic era, a period that spanned close to 800 years from 712 until 1485.

Read this article in Spanish here…

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