Gibralfaro

Gibralfaro

View of Gibralfaro with the castle on top
Highest point
Elevation 130 m (430 ft)
Coordinates 36°43′24″N 04°24′39″W / 36.72333°N 4.41083°W / 36.72333; -4.41083Coordinates: 36°43′24″N 04°24′39″W / 36.72333°N 4.41083°W / 36.72333; -4.41083
Geography
Parent range Montes de Málaga
Geology
Mountain type Limestone
Climbing
Easiest route From Málaga

Mount Gibralfaro, Spanish: Monte Gibralfaro, is a hill located in Málaga in southeast Spain. It is a 130 m high foothill of the Montes de Málaga, part of the Cordillera Penibética.[1]

At the top of the hill there is a castle overlooking Málaga city and the Mediterranean Sea.

History

Gibralfaro has been the site of fortifications since the Phoenician foundation of Málaga city. At the beginning of the 14th century, Yusuf I of the Kingdom of Granada constructed on its top the eponymous castle within the Phoenician enclosure. The name is said to be derived from the Phoenician word for light, Jbel-Faro, meaning "Rock of Light".

At the end of 2005, a thick forest of pines and eucalyptus trees were planted on the hill. On its outskirts are the historical buildings of the seminary and the Alcazaba, the Jardines de Puerta Oscura (Dark Gate Gardens), as well as a Parador.[2]

Currently pending approval is a project intended to safeguard the mount and its surroundings from any urban intervention and promote it as a space for public recreation. Another project is planned to build a cable car linking the city center with the Gibralfaro castle.[3]

Geology

Gibralfaro is part of the southern foothills of the Montes de Málaga, a mountain range of the Cordillera Penibética, formed of materials from the Maláguide complex of the Baetic Cordillera.

References

  1. ↑ Plan Especial de Protección del Monte Gibralfaro - Ayuntamiento de Málaga
  2. ↑ Conocer España por la ruta de los paradores, Ediciones Gaesa, page 90
  3. ↑ Impulso al plan para proteger el Monte Gibralfaro y potenciar su uso cultural - Málaga Hoy
This article incorporates information from the equivalent article on the Spanish Wikipedia

External links

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