{April 15, Ronda]
Ronda [map] is one of Andalucia's "white towns", whitewashed hill towns with roots back to Moorish times. These lay along the frontier of the Reconquista, changing hands from Moors to Christians (and sometimes back again), and a culture reflecting both heritages. In visual aspect, and with flamenco, bullfights, and gazpacho, they are the quintessential "Spain" to many people.
Ronda is one of the prettiest, and most historic of the white towns. A dramatic 360 foot ravine splits the town in half, and provided a formidable redoubt to the Moors until reconquest by Christian forces in 1485. Later in the 18th & 19th centuries Ronda and its rugged surrounds provided convenient hide-outs for ladrinos, Spain's version of the bandito. Ronda's ladrinos were noted in Washington Irving's early 19th c. Tales from the Alhambra for making the journey from the coast to Granada particularly risky business.
The bridge over the gorge is the "new bridge", built in 1751, after the former one fell down. (We drove gingerly across, but were somewhat reassured by 250 years of continuous service.) It has a somewhat recent unsavory association. During the Spanish Civil War, the bridge provided a safe and effective method of disposing of one's political enemies. Hundreds of partisans, from both sides, were thrown over its sides.
The Ronda streets are canonical Andalucia,
with white-washed buildings
and flower-boxed windows.
This is the view from the window of our Hotel Don Miguel perched on the edge of the gorge, next to the Puente Neuvo. Location, location, location.
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