The Heart of Andalusia
Far far away, in the middle of Andalucia lies a town equivalent of a warm bitter-sweet cold glass of a fine Spanish cherry, locally known as Jerez. This fortified and unfiltered gem is still full of a purified Spanish love for life, free of the northern nonsense. And, honestly, I wish this well-kept secret to remain so–authentic and stubborn. I’m writing this article not for business purposes but purely out of love for the town with a traditional character. My ode to Antequera, if you don’t mind because I don’t.
Often it is known for the symhiosis of its half natural, half man made monuments of El Torcal and Neolithic Dolmens, but seldom it is praised for its rich and diverse history. Of course, most of Spain share these historical and cultural characteristics and Antequera is a perfect example of it, just more so.
Antequera is also known as “the hearth of Andalucia”, not only because it stands on the crossroads of the main regional cities: Seville, Cordoba, Granada, and Malaga, but also because in its Old Town lies the geographical center of the region, or, at least, the city claims so. Whatever is the case–in Atequera you’ll feel like in the middle of everything.
Antequera Details
Neolithic Origins (4000-2200BC)
Most famous monuments in Antequera come from its dawn when it was just a phenomenon of natural beauty and profound human imagination. The three dolmens of Menga, Viera, and Tholos de Romeral are dated from deep Neolithic (the Dolmen de Menga 4000BC) to the Bronze Age (Tholos De Romeral 3000-2200BC) showing technological degradation over time. These exceptional megalithic structures includes a stone of 180 tonnes, which is beyond impressive but moving such heavy pieces was rather typical for that period if time. Lost technology? Perhaps, but sites like Dolmens of Antequera, as wonderful as they are, are not unique by itself. What makes them unique is the alignment of these ancient megalithic structures to the natural environment.
The Dolmen de Viera is aligned at the Equinoxes-astronomical event, so far so good. The Dolmen de Menga is aligned to the Peña de los Enamorados, it’s a bit strange, but clearly ancient people thought that some kind of God or Giant is resting there (Sleeping Zeus near Heraklion in Crete comes to mind). Finally, the Tholos of Romeral is aligned at El Torcal, which is, really, like whatever… But the fascinating part that these different alignments form a triangle. Coincidence? I doubt it. Dolmen of Antequera is just one of many Neolithic structures showing sophisticated understanding of geometry, environment and sun movements by the ancient people who built it.
Based on historical written records, the Domen De Menga was always known to the people who lived in this area.
Bronze Age-2nd Century BC ()
My favourite period is rather silent as it is often is but Tartessus which is often linked to the Biblical and.. from Oddyssey.
The Tholos of Romeral is the most important archaeological site from this period but a Bronze Age settlement was uncovered to the North of Antequera as well. This could be city of the people who built the Dolmens.
Later on, Iberians and even traces of Carthage, but we can only guess what life could’ve looked back then as no written, or at least deciphred sources remain..
Roman Antikaria (1st-5th Century AD)
It is difficult to comprehend but about 2000 years ago, the grasp of Rome reached Antequera, whole of Iberia, and actually much more. An interesting fact is that the branch of the famous Via Augustus, Domitiana, ran and branched in Antequera. These roads were built as an ambitious project by the first Emperor of Rome to show off his power by making the same road that Carthaginian General Hanibal used for his surprise attack on Rome in 218 and Hercules before him, accessible to everyone. Impressive it was indeed, Via Augustus was widely used by Moorish even a millenia later, just they probably didn’t knew who built it, so called it al-Racif.
Nevertheless the importance of these roads, probably, the most known Roman ruins in the city are the Roman Baths. It is located just below one of the most beautiful places in Antequera–Plaza de Santa Maria. The ancient structure date back to the mid 1st century and was used up until the Romans lost control over Hispania in the 5th century. In these baths was found one of the most impressive archaeological find in the city-an impressive bronze sculpture known as Ephebus of Antequera.
The Romans ruled over this region for 7 centuries since the Second Punic Wars in 218-201 BC, when Carthage lost the control of this rich region.
Note that the size of the Roman Baths could indicate the size and importance of this faraway Roman town.
Visigothic Dark Ages (419-716)
Though the Visigoths ruled the area during the interperiod between Roman and Umayyad Caliphate Empires, it was pagan Vandals who took Anticaria from the Roman Catholic Empire. Took might be overstatement, it was more like they destroyed everything on their way. It was other German people, Visigoths, who took control of the area for the next 3 centuries. Ironically, they were Arian Christians, a Christian branch declared heretic by the Rome itself. In about 716, Visigothic Anticaria was conquered by Muslim forces, or even earlier, led by the forces of Tariq ibn-Ziyad himself. Exceptionally interesting and mysterious figure from the Northern Africa, who’s motivation to invade Iberia could have been not as much religious but rather historical-the people from Northern Africa-Carthaginians, used to rule these lands.
Medina Antaquira
One of the most notable buildings in the city is Alcazaba. Though it is almost exquisitely moorish, excavations show Roman an earlier presence on the hill.
The citadel with all of its fortifications as we know it today was built in 13th century due to rising Spanish Christian threat. This transformation of the facade was dwarfed by what was to come. Very tragic for local Muslim populations, but very fortunate for Christian World as the whole. In the pre-modern history times it always worked that way, somebody wins and somebody looses it all.
The Siege of Antequera (1410)
After … unsuccessful attempts, Antequera was finally conquered by the Infante Ferdinand of Castile after an exhausting siege in 1410–the same year the Grand Duchy of Lithuania together with the Kingdom of Poland halted once and for all the Northern Crusade after the Battle of Grunwald.
Given the magnificent fortifications of the city, no wonder it took 6 difficult months for ravaging Christians to finally breach the walls and take the castle from the locals. Mark the date because by this time, the Moors have been already living here for more than 7 centuries. It is 28 to 35 generations. By that time, the local Muslim Antequerans probably knew less about the Northern Africa than you do now.
Both sides understood the strategic importance of Antequera for the final battle for Granada. Nevertheless, even after the succesful siege of the city, it took another 82 years for Christians to take the Capital City.
The local Muslim population was expelled from the city to Granada, forming one of its districts known as Antequerella???
The White Tower (with the Christian city’s bell crowned in 1582) is the second-widest Moorish tower in all of Andalusia.
Christian Antequera (1410+)
Did you know that Antequera has the most churches per capita in all of Spain? Well, now you know, but you might wonder why? Well, the answer is very simple, in the 15th century Antequera found itself on the frontiers against Muslim… of Granada. Christians wanted to establish, and at the same time to show off, their devotion to Christian God. A charm of luck for the final battle between two major religions. A battle of the war which eventually skyrocketed the Christian World into the Renaissance and sunk the Muslim World into its dark ages.
All of its 36 churches were built during this period between the siege of Antequera and the siege of Granada. And it seems that nobody ever questioned again, if they need another church in Antequera.
