Pizarra

Oficina De Turismo Camino De La Estación, 1, Pizarra, 29560

(+34) 952 48 46 84

https://www.pizarra.es/detalles/48/Informaci%C3%B3n-tur%C3%ADstica/

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Information: What to see; How to get here; More information; Town history; Gastronomy

Pizarra is a town located in the Guadalhorce Valley. You can experience some unforgettable moments in this picturesque region in the Costa del Sol, relishing the beauty of the natural environment.
The renowned Californian artist Gino Hollander had close ties with the town. The local museum testifies to this.
SOME THINGS NOT TO BE MISSED WHEN IN PIZARRA
MONUMENTS
The local museum has a permanent exhibition of antiques which belonged to the town"s residents, as well as the personal collection of the American abstract painter Gino Hollander, who found inspiration for her art in Pizarra.
The town's noble mansion, that was home to the Counts of Puerto Hermoso. Their usual place of residence, the Counts of Puerto Hermoso´s Palace was built during the 20th century, in a style strongly influenced by Mudejar art, which was becoming popular during this period. This palace was well known among the high political circles and national institutions; among its guests was the King Alfonso XIII of Spain and The Pizarra Conference, an event which reunited Spanish politics after the Battle of Annual, was hosted there.

The main religious monument is the Church of San Pedro. It is characterised by the single nave and square ground plan of its bell tower. But its most distinguishing feature is the set of artworks kept inside: canvasses, altarpieces and carvings from different periods and a baptismal font dating back to the 17th century when it was built.
The Hermanas de la Cruz convent was created by one of the founders of the municipality of Pizarra, the fifth Count of Puerto Hermoso. Here the Sisters of the Cross attended to the sick and the poor.
On the Castillejos de Quintana Hill, there is an archaeological site where we can find residences and tombs from the Mozarab period. Other findings of this nature include the pre-historic necropolis and the Roman bath, commonly known as "El Bańadero de la Reina" (The Queen´s Bath.)
Pizarra is only 30 kilometres from Málaga, making it an attractive day-trip destination. To get there, take the A-357 until taking the exit that starts the A-6106, which leads to the town.
NATURAL RESOURCES
On the banks of the Guadalhorce river which flows through Pizarra, there are large fields of almond and olive trees, as well as small forest areas containing poplar and eucalyptus trees. The Gibralmora mountain range creates a rocky border between the floodplain and the town, where hiking enthusiasts can explore the natural environment filled with protected wildlife.
Also in Pizarra is the Raja Ancha Park, a large green space which is the starting point of a hiking route taking you through landscapes that seem perfectly chosen for the traveller. The large number of aromatic plants and other type of vegetation and crops has meant it has come to be known as the Contrastes y Azahar (Contrasts and Orange Blossom) route. Along this route, which covers a large part of the municipality, we can find archaeological ruins and a spectacular view of the whole area.

VILLAGE FESTIVALS
In honour of the Virgen de la Fuensanta, a flamenco festival is held during the month of August, as well as a festival combing religious elements with the fun activities in the Pizarra Festival. During the procession of the Virgen, there is a raffle ("la Rifa") a uniquely Andalusian tradition, in which the worshippers compete for the beams of the throne by buying tickets moments before for a symbolic price.
A little over a month after the start of a new year, in Pizarra you can enjoy the San Blas festivity, an event in which each neighbour visits the convent with a rosca, a doughnut shaped cake, that must be blessed by the saint. On the 28th of this month, San Blas is transferred along with the pilgrims to the Gibralmora mountains.
Easter Week in Pizarra is celebrated with great devotion among local residents. After the Palm Sunday blessing, the confraternities coordinate the display of their respective images until, on Easter Sunday, The Resurrection brings an end to the Passion Week festivities.
In Pizarra, you can experience the San Juan festival in traditional Malaga style, with the burning of the Júas, large cloth figures filled with sawdust paper and other combustible material, and the town is brought to life with music played by different groups. The following day a gathering takes place next to the river, and all visitors are invited to join in the festivities.

GASTRONOMY
The crops nurtured by the passing Guadalhorce river provide the basis of Pizarra locals´ regular diet. Among these products there is one which is especially interesting, the sopa aplastá, a type of soup which is a variation on another dish typical of the town of Alora, made with bread and tomato, but in this case it is made with asparagus and broad beans. If you add to this recipe egg, tuna and spring onions we have what is called the bolo pizarreńo, a typical dish from Pizarra.
In the way of deserts, the most delicious is the roscos de Cerralba or the sweet potato pastries.
Town history
The archaeological findings in Pizarra point to the presence of man in the Guadalhorce valley since the dawn of time. The cyst burial site in Castillejos de Luna dates from the Bronze Age, which has been designated as an Asset of Cultural Interest. The Romans have left lots of evidence, like the pool in "Bańaero de la Reina" or the marble frieze in Vega de Santa María.

Examples of Mozarabic architecture – a reminder of Al-Andalus in Pizarra – are the acropolis in Castillejos de Quintana and the cave church the Shrine of Our Lady of Fuensanta was built on. The present-day Cortijo de Casablanca used to be the estate of Rafá under Nasrid rule. It belonged to Aben Falcón, squire of Alí el Baecí and warden of the Álora Castle.
The village we can still visit today was founded in 1495 by knight Diego Romero, who received 100 bushels in the "place of La Pizarra" as a token of gratitude for his role in the Reconquista of Granada.
The construction of Romero"s stately home and the Parish Church of San Pedro ensued. The rest of the houses and buildings sprang around these two. By royal charter from the High Court of Justice in 1847, Pizarra became a municipality. A decade later, it entered the modern world with the arrival of road and railway. The road connected Pizarra to Álora and, via Álora, to Málaga City.
One of the most important historical events that took place in Pizarra in the twentieth century was the Pizarra Conference, held in February 1922. It gathered political leaders to discuss the development of the Hispano-Moroccan War after the Battle of Annual, where the Spanish army suffered a major military defeat.
The most signature dish from this town is the sopa aplastá, a variation of another soup from nearby Álora with bread and tomato. To make the bolo pizarreńo, add egg, tuna and chives to the sopa aplastá.
Signature baked goods include the Cerralba Rosco or sweet potato dumplings.