Alcazaba

The Alcazaba is one of the Spanish best-preserved citadels (the name derives from the Arabic al-qasbah). The Moorish fortification dates back to the 8th century although much of it was built around the middle of the 11th century for King Badis of Granada and served as the palace of the governors of the city.

It is built on a hill in the centre of the city, overlooking the port, and comprises two walled enclosures. Next to the entrance to the Alcazaba are the ruins of a Roman theatre dating to the second century, which is undergoing restoration. Some of the Roman materials were used in the construction of the Alcazaba.

Inside its walls there is the Palace and some other dwellings which were built on three consecutive patios during the 11th, 13th and 14th centuries and includes the "Cuartos de Granada" (Granada Quarters) which served as the home of the governors. The inner enclosure also houses the Archaeological Museum.

Castillo de Gibralfaro

The castle is situated above the Alcazaba and is connected by a path at the eastern end of the Alcazaba. It was built in the 14th and 15th centuries by the Muslim King Yusuf, on the site of a Phoenician lighthouse known as Yabal-Faruk, and an older Muslim castle built by Abdar-Rahman I who was an 8th century Cordoban emir.

The castle was constructed as a fortress to defend the Alcazaba against the spread of artillery use. The fortification includes the defensive devices of a large flanking tower, a rampart perimeter adapted to the terrain by zigzaging walls and an angled gateway.

Nothing much remains of the interior of the castle but the walkway round the ramparts affords exhilarating views and there’s an interesting little museum.

The site of the gunpowder arsenal now houses an exhibition portraying the uses of the castle as a military garrison and coastal lookout post from 1487 to 1925. Plans, weapons, uniforms and objects of everyday life are on display.

Cathedral and Cathedral Museum

This is popularly known as La Manquita, since one of the towers was never finished. The interior is in the Renaissance style of the 16th century, while the main façade belongs to the 18th century baroque style. Building work began in the 16th century and since then the cathedral has undergone a great deal of restoration work.

Of special interest on the outside there is the relief sculpture of the Annunciation and the patron saints of the city, San Ciriaco and Santa Paula.

Jardín de La Concepción

These gardens are beside the Park, and are considered to have one of the best collections of tropical and sub-tropical plants including hundreds of palms and flowers in Europe. It was built by the Malaga nobility in the 19th century, and has a small archaeological museum with pierces from the Roman period. Carretera de las Pedrizas.

Open: 10 a.m. beginning of final visit of the day and closing time: 7.30 p.m. Closed on Mondays. Visits are by guided tour in English.

Picasso & Málaga

The Picasso Foundation

Native Home Museum is a public foundation that depends on the Malaga City Council and established on the 26th February 1988, under a decision of the City Council. Its head office was chosen as the very building where Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born on the October 25, 1881, which is considered as a Historical-Artistic protected Monument since 1983. The building is part of the Spanish Museum System since 1991.

Palacio de Buenavista, a historical building of characteristic 16th century Andalusian architecture, was purchased and restored for a cost of €66 in order to hold the collection and to become the permanent home of the Museo Picasso Málaga. The building was declared National Monument in 1939 and also enjoys a strategic location in historic city centre.

Museo Picasso Málaga

The Museum is run by the Fundación Museo Picasso de Málaga and the Fundación Paul, Christine y Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, artist’s grandchildren, who donated and lent 204 Picasso’s works pieces.

It is composed by ceramics and graphic works of Picasso, that cover the period 1931-1971 and a wide selection of graphic works: Miró, Christo, Bacon, Brossa, Ernst, Tápies, Chillida, Plensa, Dokoupil, Guinovart, Matta, Moore, etc.

Contemporary malaguenian artists are also represented dating from the 1950's until today, such as Barbadillo, Brinkmann, Peinado, Stefan, Joaquín de Molina, Robert Harvey, Diego Santos, Carlos Durán, Bola Barrionuevo, Chema Lumbreras, Joaquín Ivars and Rogelio López Cuenca.

A completely new set of buildings were constructed to accommodate the temporary exhibition galleries, the restoration facilities, the bookstore and offices. All in all, the Museo Picasso Málaga has a total surface of 89.340 square feet.