A walk around Fuengirola in winter 2021 including the castle, along the sea front and into the centre of town. A really windy day on the Costa del Sol...Chapters below.

20:55 For the view from the top of the castle.
30:00 For the walk along the seafront
43:00 For the walk through town

Fuengirola, now a modern tourist destination on the Costa del Sol, was originally settled by the Phoenicians around 800 BCE; certainly historical reference was made about the town during the 2nd century BCE.

Following the Phoenicians, the area was settled by the Romans and remains of Roman baths, villas and statuary have been found all along the coast.

The castle itself, el Castillo de Sohail, is of Moorish origin. Although an exact date of construction cannot be agreed on by historians, it’s generally believed to have been built around 1000 CE. Whilst it is a small fortification it is strategically located on the banks of the river which provided both shelter for small boats as well as a means of communication and transport between Fuengirola and the surrounding areas.

The castle contained many features of a Moorish ribat (frontier post) including rooms for soldiers, storehouses and watchtowers.

In 1485, the Catholic Kings regained control of Spain and evicted the Moors, leading to years of relative calm during which the castle was not much needed for defensive purposes. In the early 18th century, however, the castle was once again required to house a fighting force. In 1730, the castle was remodelled to house a squadron of cavalry to halt the distribution of contraband goods flooding into Spain through British-owned Gibraltar.

During the 19th century, the castle was auctioned off and was, for many years, in private hands. Unfortunately, the owner, the Countess of San Isidro, Barbara de Obregón y Puente, allowed the castle to deteriorate to the point of abandonment. Once that happened, local people looted the castle taking fittings and also stonework from the building to complete other projects.

Finally, since the turn of the century, the castle has been used for a number of cultural events and concerts.

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