General information on Antequera
Antequera lies 47 km (22 miles) north of the city of Málaga, at the foot of the mountain ranges El Torcal and El Arco Calizo Chimenea, 575 m above mean sea level. It overlooks the fertile valley bounded to the south by the Sierra de los Torcales, and to the north by the river Guadalhorce. It occupies a commanding position, while the remains of its walls, and of a fine Moorish castle on a rock that overhangs the town, show how admirably its natural defences were supplemented by art. At 817 km², the municipality is the largest, in terms of area, in the province of Málaga and one of the largest in Spain. The population is 41,197 (2002 census).
The saltwater lagoon Fuente de Piedra, which is one of the few nesting places of the Greater Flamingo in Europe, and the limestone rock formation of the Torcal, a nature reserve and popular spot for climbers, are nearby. Across the Guadalhorce is the remarkable "Lovers' Rock" (la Peña de los Enamorados), named after the legend of a young Christian man and his Moorish lover who threw themselves from the rock together while being chased by Moorish soldiers; this romantic legend was adapted by Robert Southey in his Laila and Manuel. In the eastern suburbs there is one of the largest burial mounds in Spain, dating from the Bronze Age, and with subterranean chambers excavated to a depth of 65 feet.
Historically, the region's economy was based on the production and processing of agricultural products (olives, grain, and wool), as well as furniture manufacturing. Today, tourism is the main industry, and there are an increasing number of international visitors. The city's museums have about 80% of all the art treasures in the province of Málaga, which makes it one of the cultural centers of Andalusia.
Significant buildings include many fine churches, the 18th century Palace of Nájera, now the Municipal Museum, and the early 16th century Real Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor, a designated national monument that overlooks the whole town. The bullring, dating from 1848, was rebuilt beginning in 1984, in a style that reflects the city's diverse architectural influences, and is considered one of the most attractive bullrings in Spain. Antequera contains a fine arch, erected in 1595 in honour of Philip II, and partly constructed of inscribed Roman masonry.
The Cueva de Menga, or Dolmen of Menga is a megalithic burial mound, or dolmen, dating from the 3rd millennium BCE. It can be found on the outskirts of Antequera, Spain.
It is considered to be the largest such structure in Europe. It is twenty-five metres deep, five metres wide and four metres high, and was built with thirty-two megaliths, the largest weighing about 180 tonnes. After completion of the chamber (which probably served as a grave for the ruling families) and the path leading into the center, the stone structure was covered with earth and built up into the hill that can be seen today. When the grave was opened and examined in the 19th century, archaeologists found the skeletons of several hundred people inside.
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