Ronda Walk to Pilar de Cartajima and Roman Aqueduct

walk to roman aqueduct - Ronda

This is one of the walks most people want to do because of the Roman Aqueduct you see at the end of the walk, but is also one of the walks in Ronda rarely undertaken by visitors because very few people know the Roman aqueduct even exists, in fact Roman Ronda was a reality for nearly 700 years.

You’ll start the walk at the old entrance to Ronda, the Almocabar Gate which originally was used to reach the Muslim cemetery outside the city walls. In fact the plaza you walk across at the start is where the cemetery was. During the reconquest Spain’s Christian monarchs attacked Ronda from locations near the plaza.

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Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows (Templete de la Virgen de los Dolores)

Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows (Templete de la Virgen de los Dolores) - Ronda

Ronda and the Serrania surround it have been lawless lands for millennia, not even the iron grip of the Almohads could stamp out rebellions and banditry, so it is hardly surprising that capital punishment has been so widely used.

In Ronda (close to the junction between Calle Santa Cecilia and Calle Virgen de los Dolores) nowhere is this more obvious and chilling than the Temple of Our Lady of Sorrows, also known as the Shrine of the Hanged, with its frightening depictions of condemned men’s eyes bulging as they desperately try to get a last breath while the hangman’s noose crushes their windpipe.

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The Romero Dynasty and Ronda’s Bandoleros

Bandoleros (bandits) in Ronda history

Bullfighting and banditry almost go hand in hand in Ronda, or at least they did in the early days when the Romero dynasty first came to prominence. A major part of the culture and history of modern Andalucia, bullfighting shows no signs of diminishing in Southern Spain, in fact both main political parties in the parliament of Andalucia seem determined to protect the art for the enjoyment of future generations.

Banditry on the other hand has had a much longer history, and these days is nothing more than a romantic memory, the last bandits having been shot or arrested by Franco’s Guardia Civil in the middle of the 20th century. Starting in the 9th century during the rise of the Islamic era, banditry was often more about politics and tax avoidance than outright thievery, though of course the objective was always to relieve wealthier people of their precious possessions.

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Cortijo la Perla Blanca – Stylish Bed and Breakfast Accomodation | Ronda, the City of Dreams in…

Check out the fantastic reviews on booking,com about La perla Blanca boutique hotel for couples in the countryside just outside the beautiful town of Ronda… https://rondatoday.com/cortijo-la-perla-blanca-stylish-bed-and-breakfast-accomodation/ Cortijo la Perla Blanca – Stylish Bed and Breakfast Accomodation | Ronda, the City of Dreams in… Cortijo La Perla Blanca in Ronda, a stylish, modern, country style bed … Read more