Far from the sea, small settlements are scattered along the mountain slopes, which, because of the radiant whiteness of their houses, are nicknamed 'pueblos blancos' - white towns.
This is a special world, unlike the resort towns of the coast. The dazzling whiteness of the 'pueblos blancos' - white towns - is just an aesthetic by-product. Natural quicklime protects old walls from destruction and has a disinfecting effect. In addition, the white color better reflects the sun and saves from the scorching summer heat. Andalusia has virtually unlimited limestone reserves. It is crushed, stacked and fired. The powder obtained after firing is used for the annual whitewashing of buildings. Ronda is one of those towns.
The once proud and impregnable city, built on high rocky plateaus, is divided by the giant Tagus gorge with chains of houses “between rocks and clouds” (in the words of Rainer Maria Rilke). Now both parts of the city - old and new - are connected by an impressive bridge. But once this bridge was not in sight, just like the New City. The old part of modern Ronda, founded by the Arabs, remained one of the last refuges of the Moors in the territory of Andalusia: each time the Tagus Gorge stood up as an insurmountable obstacle in the way of Christians. Ronda submitted only in 1485. Most of the historical monuments and notable buildings are located in the Old Town, whose narrow streets have retained the atmosphere of a typical 'pueblos blancos'.
The area of the New City is notable primarily for the bullring. It is believed that this is where the Spanish bullfight originated. Arena Plaza de Toros is the oldest and one of the most prestigious in Spain. Famous matadors consider it an honor to perform in Ronda. In the presence of royalty and nobles, it was opened on May 19, 1785, with a battle between Pedro Romero and Pepe Hillo, the leading representatives of the two rival schools from Ronda and Seville.
Pedro Romero Martinez was a famous torero from the Romero family, who lived in Ronda of the matador dynasty. Later, he will create the classic style of Ronda - more severe compared to the Seville school. Pedro Romero is considered the father of modern bullfighting, and Ronda is the birthplace of bullfighting. The arena is still active. The Bullfighting Museum is also located there, where posters, photographs, swords and matador costumes are presented, as well as a large collection of ancient weapons.
Not far from the arena, you can find a small, pretty Alameda square and the Iglesia de la Merced church, built in the 16th-17th centuries. From the observation deck ('Moor's Chair') on the cliff offers a stunning view of the surroundings.
To the south of the square is the symbol of Ronda - the Puente Nuevo bridge, connecting the old and new parts of the city. It was built in the 18th century. above the deepest point of the gorge at a height of 100 m. The bridge looks so impressive that it looks more like a fortress. The architect who supervised its construction, crashed to death, falling into the gorge during the next revision of the construction site. For a time, there was a prison at the bottom of the bridge.
On the bridge you can get to the Old Town, where you should see the monastery of Santo Domingo - the stronghold of the Inquisition. Here, the 'conspiracies' of heretics and the naivety of the Arabs who remained in the city after the reconquista were exposed. .And also the Palace of the Moorish King (Casa del Rey Moro), built in 1709 on the site of an old prosperous Arab house, when the Moors had not been in Ronda for a long time. A staircase of 365 steps carved into the rock leads down to the river. On this staircase during the sieges, Christian slaves, lining up in a chain, supplied the invaders with water in jugs.
A road leads to the gorge, from which two ancient bridges, built by the Moors, depart. Arab baths and what is left of them have been preserved nearby.
The Church of Santa Maria la Mayor, like many other Christian churches in Andalusia, was built on the foundations of the once main Moorish mosque of the city. The minaret is hidden under the walls of the bell tower.
In Ronda there is also a 'real' restored minaret - Alminar de San Sebastian, which received the name of the Christian Saint Sebastian (which is strange, isn't it?) -. The city hall is located in the 18th century mansion.
Through the gates of Puerta de Almocabar in 1485, King Ferdinand II of Aragon triumphantly brought his troops into the city. Nearby are the ruins of the old Arab fortress Alcazaba, burned down by French soldiers during the Napoleonic invasion in 1809.
The stone palace of Mondragon (Palacio de Mondragon) after the victory of Ferdinand and Isabella over the Moors became the residence of the Catholic kings. Now it houses the main museum of Ronda - ethnographic.
It is also worth visiting the Wine Museum, the Bandolero (robber) Museum and walking along Carrera Espinel Street.
