Cortes de la Frontera

Location

Serranía de Ronda

Los Alcornocales Nature Park from Cortes de la Frontera

Click to enlarge images below:

Interesting Facts of Cortes de la Frontera

Surface Area: 173.6 square kilometres

Population: 3,762

What the natives are called: Cortesanos

Outstanding Sights: Town Hall, Nuestra Señora del Rosario church, Casa de los Valdenebros (Los Valdenebros house), Plaza de Toros (Bullring), Casa de Piedra (Stone House).

Geographical Location: in the Ronda highlands in the westernmost part of the province of Málaga, bordering on the province of Cádiz. The village is 600 metres above sea level. It is 40 kilometres from Ronda, 20 from Benaoján and 159 from the provincial capital. The average rainfall is plentiful (1,160 litres per square metre) and the average temperature is slightly more than 16º C.

The Los Alcornocales (170,000 hectares) and Sierra de Grazalema (50,000 hectares) Nature Parks converge in the municipality of Cortes de la Frontera, which contains a large part of their extraordinary environmental treasure and affords the visitor a view of scenic surroundings that are absolutely awe-inspiring. The large forests of cork oaks that cover much of this territory continue into the province of Cádiz, but before crossing the border of Málaga they form a number of sites that can, without gratuitous hyperbole, be characterised as paradisiacal.

and the Las Buitreras gorge, adjoining the El Colmenar neighbourhood, are only two examples of the bounty that nature has bestowed upon this municipality. The first site is fully equipped for camping and taking however much time one wishes to enjoy the surroundings, while the latter-Las Buitreras-is more difficult of access but compensates for this with an astonishing spectacle: the channel of the River Guadiaro confined between walls more than 100 metres high.

It seems that the origins of Cortes de la Frontera date back to the twelfth and eleventh centuries B. C., when the Phoenicians arrived in this area where the Tartessians were already established. Centuries later the Greeks made their appearance, which can be described as fleeting, as it generally was on the coasts of Andalusia. After the Greeks came the Romans, from whose era sufficient evidence remains: the traces of the town of Saepona 28 kilometres from the present village and the ruins of Cortes el Viejo (Old Cortes), only two kilometres from the village in a setting that overlooks a long stretch of the River Guadiaro.

The Muslims confronted the Visigoths on Cortesano soil in the year 711 in a place that is still recognizable today, according to a number of researchers. At the death of Almanzor in 1002, Cortes belonged alternately to the kingdoms of Seville and Granada and even to the kingdoms of Ronda and Algeciras. Fernando III the Saint conquered the village in 1248 but it later again passed into the hands of the Muslims until the Marquise of Cádiz, Rodrigo Ponce de León, took it in the name of the Catholic Monarchs in 1485. This kind of alternation between one kingdom and another was not unusual with villages that had "de la Frontera" ("of the Frontier") as part of their names.

The modern location of the village is more recent, having its origin in the seventeenth century. It was in that period that cork exploitation, one of the locality’s main sources of wealth, began to develop. It continues to be one of the pillars of the economy of Cortes de la Frontera.

Due to the era in which the village was founded its urban structure is noticeably different from that of many mountain localities that have a Moorish heritage. The municipality is also unusual in having three centres of population, which it is not unique in the province of Málaga but is nevertheless not common. They are: the main population centre, which is Cortes de la Frontera itself, El Colmenar and La Cañada or Estación de Cortes.

La Sauceda

Road Directions

Starting from the AP-7 (N-340) expressway on the Costa del Sol, take the A-377 from Manilva to Gaucín, and there continue by way of the A-369. About seven kilometres farther along turn onto the A-373, which leads to Cortes. If you leave from the city of Ronda, you must go south on the A-369, and after passing Algatocín take the A-373.

Full graphical path: http://bit.ly/omph03

Tourist Info

Cortes de la Frontera
Ayuntamiento, Plaza Carlos III
Cortes De La Frontera
Málaga
29380

Tel: +34 952 15 40 00

Fax: +34 952 15 43 42

Send an email

Website:

Informacion

Socios

What to See in Cortes de la Frontera

Unlike other villages whose populations do not exceed 10,000, in which the parish church stands as the most representative local monument, in the case of Cortes de la Frontera, the Town Hall is the most important structure. Carlos III ordered its construction in 1784. The building displays a neoclassic façade that is notable for ten arcades distributed over two stories that are crowned by a large pediment, in the centre of which is the clock and the royal coat of arms. The humble construction materials-cut sandstone-do not detract in the slightest from the building’s architectural elegance.

The Nuestra Señora del Rosario church in the centre of the village dates from the late eighteenth century and is divided into three naves separated by semicircular arches. The central nave has a barrel vault, and a dome with a lantern covers the transept. Outside are two stone façades with lintels and the bell tower, which is located next to the front of the church.

The Casa de los Valdenebros (Los Valdenebros house), also known as the Casa de las Tetitas, has a beautiful stone façade dated 1763 which displays the coat of arms of its former owner, a soldier who received a noble title. The mansion still has a subterranean passage that connects with the old Valdenebros chapel, which has a façade somewhere between Baroque and Mudéjar that was built in 1760.

The Plaza de Toros (Bullring) was inaugurated in 1894 and restored in 1921. It is, with its ring of almost 30 metres across, the largest bullring in the Highlands except for that of Ronda, of course. The question of why a small village has such a large bullring is explained by the intensive livestock industry in Cortes.

The Casa de Piedra dates from the sixth and seventh centuries. As its name (Stone House) indicates, it was built by the primitive method of excavating into a huge rock, making the manual labour performed on it truly remarkable.

The tower of El Paso is worth a visit as well. It is a watchtower built by the Arabs in the thirteenth century to keep watch for potential threats in the road linking Gaucín with Jubrique by El Espino pass.

Tourist Info

Cortes de la Frontera
Ayuntamiento, Plaza Carlos III
Cortes De La Frontera
Málaga
29380

Tel: +34 952 15 40 00

Fax: +34 952 15 43 42

Send an email

Website:

Informacion

Socios

Cortes de la Frontera’s Fiestas and Gastronomy

The carnival, which is attended by street musicians and acting groups from the province of Cádiz, is this municipality’s first entertainment event, followed by the Semana Santa (Holy Week) and Corpus Christi religious celebrations. The patron saint fiestas in honour of San Roque and San Sebastián are from 23 to 27 August, with a programme that includes competitions, dances, a livestock fair and most importantly the release of the "toro del aguardiente" (bull of brandy), one of this village’s most popular traditions.

The pilgrimage of the Virgen del Rosario, patron saint of Cortes, is celebrated in early July and the Horse Pilgrimage a few days later. The El Colmenar neighbourhood holds its patron saint fiestas in the last week of July and La Cañada observes its own, in the first week in August, so it can be seen that the summer is prodigious in festivities in this municipality.

There is documentary evidence from the seventeenth century of the existence of the brotherhood of Vera Cruz ("The Purples"), from which the brotherhood of Padre Jesús ("The Reds") also sprang and which, curiously, bore the same Virgin in processions, but the Semana Santa in Cortes originated in very recent times. The most meaningful event of Passion Week in Cortes occurs on Holy Thursday when the "encounter" takes place in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento between the images of Jesús Nazareno (Jesus of Nazareth) and the Virgin, when the "three falls" are enacted.

Cortes de la Frontera’s
Gastronomy
This municipality’s culinary tradition is as varied as it is delectable. As in most mountain villages, there are summer and winter dishes, although nowadays these limits are observed more on the calendar than in the kitchen. Caldereta de venado (venison stew), cordero de la sierra (a lamb stew), revuelto de espárragos (an egg and asparagus dish), ternera cortesana (Cortes-style veal), tortilla de bacalao (codfish omelette), cocido refrito (a sauce made of fried bread, tomato, garlic, pepper and onion), potaje de acelgas (stewed chard), migas (a dish made from fried bread crumbs) and conejo al Guadiar (a rabbit dish) are only a sample of the appetising traditional recipes from this area. There is a no less extensive variety of confectioneries: milhojas (a stuffed pastry), merengue (meringue), roscones (a spiral pastry), suspiros (a flour and egg pastry), compota de membrillo (quince compote), homemade magdalenas (small pastries cooked in a mold), torrijas (made from wine-saturated bread) and uvas en aguardiente (grapes in raw brandy) may give some idea of Cortes de la Frontera’s lengthy dessert menu.

Tourist Info

Cortes de la Frontera
Ayuntamiento, Plaza Carlos III
Cortes De La Frontera
Málaga
29380

Tel: +34 952 15 40 00

Fax: +34 952 15 43 42

Send an email

Website:

Informacion

Socios

More Information About Cortes de la Frontera

Hiking and Walking in Cortes de la Frontera

Climbing in Cortes de la Frontera

As stated in the section "Interesting Facts," one of the most impressive natural areas close to Cortes de la Frontera is Cañón las Buitreras, a gorge shared by Cortes, Benalauría and Benarrabá. Formed by the River Guadiaro eroding a limestone bed. Access to the ravine is rather difficult, as there are almost upright walls, which are good to climb. To enjoy this landscape, visitors should reach first the bridge of Los Alemanes or have a view from the upper level of the defile. The Cañón las Buitreras has been designated Natural Monument of Andalusia.

Included in the municipality are areas of two of the main nature parks in Andalusia: Los Alcornocales and Grazalema. Cork trees and Aleppo pines reign supreme in a natural setting that has lived together with the local people for centuries.

Camping in Cortes de la Frontera

Managed by Federation of Protected Natural Areas in Andalusia, the campsite of Cortes de la Frontera features 23 cottages with a fireplace, toilets and showers, hot water, reception, green store, meeting hall, classroom, firewood sale, camping and barbecue zone. Campers’ baggage will be carried to their cottage. Bear in mind that there is no electricity within the campsite, which is open all year round. Activities campers can engage in are horse riding, spelunking, hiking, donkey riding, walking. They can visit the laurel forest, Pilita de la Reina, Peñón del Buitre and Cortes de la Frontera. For more info, please call (+34) 952　117 236.

The scenic wealth of this municipality, which in La Sauceda forest is microclimatic with one of the highest levels of rainfall in Spain, is very favourable to trail walking. Of the many routes to choose from, there are three that experts in this sport especially recommend. One of these starts from the village and goes towards Llanos de Líbar. It is two hours long and the going is easy.

The route from La Sauceda to Peñón del Buitre is of medium difficulty. The trail goes through heavily wooded areas and the estimated duration is two hours. The trail from La Sauceda to Pico del Aljibe is also of medium difficulty but longer (four hours). In this area the forest is very dense and there is a risk of getting lost, so reasonable precautions are recommended to prevent any mishap.