Cartama Attractions

Cartama is located in the Guadalhorce Valley which takes its name from the River Guadalhorce. The Guadalhorce is the backbone of this part of the province of Malaga, and winds its way through the area carrying water from Antequera then passing through the El Chorro gorge to form a valley which has the richest farmland in Málaga. The Guadalhorce valley is renowned for its location close to the Costa del Sol, the airport at Málaga, the Natural Parks of Sierra de las Nieves and the Málaga mountains, as well as the gorge and lakes at El Chorro, in the area between Álora and Ardales.

The valley enjoys a pleasant micro-climate and does not suffer from extreme temperatures of summer and winter, a fact that is linked to the orientation of the surrounding mountains and hills, and its height above sea level. This means that this area enjoys some of the the best winters in Europe and produces a great variety of wildlife. In the mountains there are pine, cork, and oak trees, as well as sabinas and quejigos. The ground is covered with a large variety of plant life including many herbs such as marjoram, camomile, mint, rosemary and wild asparagus. Also found in these areas are palm trees and esparto grass which is used in many local crafts.

The abundance of water in the valley has created an agricultural system which is based on smallholder farmers with citrus fruit as their main crop. With the varied fauna in the area it possible to see many birds of prey including several types of eagle, hawks and at night, owls both large and small, which can be heard if rarely seen. Some of the mammals in this area include wild mountain goats, wild boar, rabbits, foxes and hares. Much of the population in the valley is centred around the white villages of Alora, Pizarra, Valle de Abdalajis, Alhaurin el Grande, Alhaurin de la Torre, Coin and Cartama.

Cartama Other Attractions

The Castle
The castle's upper area is built in a rectangular plan, from east to west, with four towers that define its shape. Three of the towers are square and one that faces south in a semicircular form. The most predominant feature inside is the rectangular shaped water tank that has been excavated out of the rock and is covered by a vaulted ceiling, built to store rain water. By the size of the building, it was probably built to hold about two thousand people. The materials used in construction of the Castle are mortar and some cut stone, with small stone blocks in some places. The corners are reinforced in an alternating pattern of stone and brick, in an irregular design. A workshop has been set up recently to begin re-construction work on the Castle.

Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios
The prominant feature of Cartama, the path up to the hermitage is steep and winding, and has spectacular views over the surrounding countryside of the Guadalhorce Valley. The Hermitage dates from the 16th century, coinciding with an apparition of the Virgin on that spot and the news of a plague in Cártama at the same time that the Virgin was being brought out in procession. The sick were miraculously cured and as a result the Virgin was named La Virgen de Los Remedios. The present building does not date from that time, rather the present-day Camarín de la Virgen and the steeple of the hermitage is of 18th century design and the interior neo-Baroque decoration of a later period.

Ancient civil constructions
A Roman road used to link Cártama with Alhaurín el Grande, and some remains of this road can still be seen today, especially at the bridge and the aqueduct. The bridge was built in a simple arch made of brick, with a stone base that reaches two metres above the ground. The aqueduct carried water from a nearby spring to the town.

Other remains of historical interest
Also in the Cártama you can see remains dating from the Lower Roman period such as the Cruz del Humilladero, a Roman column upon which was placed an iron cross in the 18th century. A mosaic representing the twelve tasks of Hercules was discovered in calle Concepción in 1858, later brought to a farmhouse in La Concepción. When the farmhouse was sold, the mosaic disappeared and was never found again.