Ronda Malaga andalucia spain

RONDA


Ronda is a town in the Spanish city of Málaga. Situated nearly 100 km or 62 mi from the city of Málaga, at the autonomous community of Andalusia. With a current population of approximately 36,827 inhabitants (“Rondeños”) during the year 2009, it made the town the one of the most populated towns in the city of Málaga, after the town of Antequera. The town of Ronda is located on a plateau referred to as the “Depresión de Ronda”, and the entire town extends to approximately 481.31 Km2, and a population density of 76.51 inhabitants per km2.


Further, the town of Ronda is located in an extremely mountainous region at approximately 750 m above sea level. The Guadalevin River runs to the far side of the city, separating it into two and carving out the steep, 100+ m deep El Tajo canyon on which the entire town rests. The Spanish Fir (Abies Pinsapo) is endemic to the mountains that surrounds the town of Ronda.


In spite being Andalusia’s fastest-developing town - it overtook the city of Córdoba in the big three Andaluz tourist destinations, behind the cities of Sevilla and Granada, during the early 21st century - Ronda retains much of its historic charm, especially its old town. Its popular worldwide due to its striking escarpments and views, and for the deep El Tajo canyon that takes the rio Guadalevin through its center. Tourists crowd over the 18th century Puente Nuevo “new” bridge, which extends across 100 m chasm below, for its exceptional views out above the mountains of Serrania De Ronda.


The Ronda is additionally popular as the birthplace of modern bullfighting, which these days, can now be seen once a year at the striking Feria Goyesca. Held at the beginning of the month of September, fighters and a couple of the audience dress themselves in the style of Goya’s sketches of life in the region. Pedro Romero, a legendary Rondeño bullfighter, escaped from the prevailing Jerez “school” of horseback bullfighting during the 18th century in order to discover the art of bullfighting wherein matadors stood their ground against the bull on foot. During 2006, royalty and movie stars visited the town of Ronda for the Goyesca’s 50th anniversary celebrations in its small bullring, while thousands party outside. Otherwise, the bullring, Plaza De Toros, is now a museum, and visitors can stroll out towards the arena.


As extraordinary monuments of the city, the new bridges are located over the Tajo Gorge as well as the Old Bridge (Ronda) and the Arab Bridge. The town of Ronda was divided and up to this moment retains this division into three regions: San Francisco, the oldest of which was secured to the castle and the town, where there are huge buildings, convents, churches and palaces, charming streets with arches, columns coffered ceilings and arabesques that divulge their origin, and, last, that of the Market, the most modern, founded subsequent to the Reconquista, infamous for its Baroque houses, glittering white and enhanced by the grillwork of the local crafts.