In
this area of Málaga the topography seems to forget
the wrinkles and torturous twists and turns that line
the face of almost the entire province and tends to level
out, with the peak of La Cruz, at 768 metres above sea
level, standing out from the landscape as a reminder of
greater heights not far away.
Except
for this feature, the terrain, which is crossed by several
watercourses (the Las Pozas and Burriana streams and the
copious River Genil), seems to seek the horizontal amid
gentle hills where olive groves reign, while the Genil
in its passage through the village provides space for
a few orchards and market gardens.
There is confirmation that the first human settlements
in this territory occurred in the Paleolithic period,
that is to say some 40,000 years ago. That, at least,
is what is indicated by tools found in the Cueva de la
Belda (La Belda cave) that point to a primitive population
of hunters. There is also reliable evidence of a Copper
Age presence, such as a necropolis of artificial caves
that is considered among the most important in Spain.
Of course, the Romans also left signs of their passage
through these lands: several villas and traces of a road
that is listed on the Antonine Itinerary.
A
system of irrigation ditches that to a certain extent
is still in use at Huerta del Marqués is clear
proof of the occupation of this municipality by the Muslims,
who also left some wells along the Genil. After the Christian
conquest, King Juan II ceded the village to Antequera
as payment to its castle commandant, Pedro de Narváez,
for the assistance he had given in the conquest of the
Belda fortress.
Outstandings Visits:
The San Juan Bautista church in the centre of the village
will attract the visitor’s attention at his first glance
towards the urban quarter. The present church was built
in the first half of the eighteenth century over a church
of smaller dimensions. Its three naves are separated by
semicircular arches that rest on thick pillars. It is
unusual in that the tabernacle chapel is found to the
left whereas ordinarily its place is behind the main altar.
This altar was built in 1706 and the red marble baptismal
font in 1606.
Two street niches testify to the village’s devotion to
several images, such as the Virgen del Carmen, on Calle
Victoria and Jesús Nazareno on Calle Archidona.
Calle Real and Plaza de la Reja are the sites of this
locality’s most noteworthy secular buildings, such as
the Casa de los Cristales (Los Cristales house) and the
Casa de Felipe Quintana (house of Felipe Quintana), to
which might be added the façade of the former Juan
González inn, a meeting place for the most famous
bandits of the nineteenth century. Among its regular guests
were Chato de Benamejí, Antonio Vargas Heredia,
Luis Artacho, Salvador González and the Calderas.
During that time, the village was known by the nickname
of Cuevas de los Ladrones (Caves of the Thieves). .
The
hamlets of El Cedrón and La Moheda, founded by
Jews and Muslims, still preserve a large share of their
medieval charm. The former commands a wide view taking
in parts of the provinces of Seville, Córdoba,
Málaga and Granada. No one must leave La Moheda
without drinking water from its fountain.
How to Get There:
Take the A-45 (N-331) from Málaga towards Antequera.
In the vicinity of that city, you must connect with the
A-92 only to immediately return to the N-331 on the stretch
that is no longer an expressway and go in the direction
of Lucena. Right at the border between the provinces of
Málaga and Córdoba turn onto the A-6212,
which leads straight to Cuevas Bajas.
Interesting
Facts:
Surface Area: 16.2 square kilometres
Population: about 1,600
What the natives are called: Cueveños
Monuments: the San Juan Bautista parish church, niches,
façades on Calle Real, and the Cedrón and
La Moheda hamlets, which have medieval street plans
Geographical Location: in the northern part of the Antequera
region, where the province of Málaga borders that
of Córdoba. The village sits at 323 metres above
sea level in the so-called Subbetic district of Málaga
and is 72 kilometres from the provincial capital. The
average annual rainfall is 700 litres per square metre
and the average temperature is about 16º C.
Tourist Information: Town Hall, Calle La Venta, 114. Telephone:
952 727 501/502; Fax: 952 729 679
