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Benalmádena Pueblo remains as a typical Andaluz village in the foothills of the mountains west of Malaga. It covers 26 sq. km. and has an height of approximately 280 meters above sea level. The narrow streets make the pueblo a picturesque village (photo below right, as viewed from the church).
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Although there has been a lot of new construction recently (the rows of houses at the top of the village), the heart of the pueblo is a maze of narrow streets, many of them too narrow or too steep for cars. Calle Lomillas, pictured at left, is actually wide enough to have a walking path along side the road.
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All the homes are white and those in the village are connected to one another along the road. This construction added strength as well as better insulated the houses against the intense summer heat. The one thing the pictures cannot convey is the serene ambiance created by the lack of traffic and the singing of the canaries as many locals keep them in cages in their windows and patios.
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We spent the winter of 2004 to 2005 living in the pueblo. We rented the home (pictured below) of our friends, Bob and Kathy Richards, . The house is in one of the early developments outside the original pueblo. As such, it is near the center but in an area where there are single family homes with yards and swimming pools. This presented us with a great opportunity to get to know some of the residents and enjoy the life of the pueblo. The house is the one across the middle of the photo at right and provides spectacular views of the coast and the beautifully blue Mediterranean Sea. The big green tree to the left of the house and in front of the house are avocados; the one at left provided us with over 75 pounds of avocados this winter and the one on the right another 70 pounds! Places to see in the pueblo:
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Castillo De Colomares
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There's also a spectacular monument to Christopher Columbus, the Castillo de Colomares (pictured at left). It commemorates Columbus' arrival in the New World, constructed recently (1994) by a doctor and his son. The monument is just below the pueblo and a modest fee is charged to visit.
The towers and carvings are quite unusual, making it look like it is some exotic castle from hundreds of years ago. Over the years it has been used as a falconry (until the locals complained that their cats were being taken), then later as a reptile center. Today it simply stands as an unusual bit of architecture, built by someone with a lot of imagination and money.
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Iglesia de Santo Domingo Guzmán
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This is a view of the church from high up on the hill, showing how it sits alone on the promontory. It is the primary church of the pueblo, and it sits slightly above the rest of the pueblo, providing fantastic views of the village as well as the coast. The church was recently remodeled in 1998. While its bells strike each hour throughout the day and night, thankfully they are somewhat muted.
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Estupa de la Illuminación
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Although not typically Spanish, the statue is the largest Buddhist monument in the western world. It was opened in October 2003 and is 33 meters high, crowned with a cone of gold that can be seen from the entire coastal area. Inside it contains many pictures depicting the life of Buddha. The monument symbolizes harmony, prosperity and peace. It has become a popular meeting place and allows locals to learn more about the Buddhist religion if they so choose.
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Carnival
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While in Benalmadena we had the opportunity to watch the festivities for Carnival. There was a local parade with the reigning god and goddess with their assistants in lavish costumes. The local school children also participated as each school crowned their prince and princess. The photo at right shows the prince and princess leading the parade down the main street of the pueblo. Behind them is the Carnival God in his lavish costume which rolls along with him. Then the rest of the pueblo got into the act by dressing up in clever costumes and joining the parade.
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The kids’ costumes were cute, especially the one of Elvis (left), complete with lights along his sides. There is an Egyptian pharaoh in a casket on the right side of the picture. There were several swordsmen (young and old) with capes, and one couple cleverly disguised as a coffee maker a cup and saucer (very appropriate for Spain). Also during the time of the Carnival there is the annual Drag Queen contest (which somewhat surprised us), so there were several participants appropriately dressed for the occasion.
In March is Semana Santa, or Holy week. See the Semana Santa page for more information.
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