Historical Heritage of the Costa del Sol
23-07-2017
The Costa del Sol is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Spain. It is a perfect settlement for many different types of vacation packages. We have from golf tourism, health tourism and beach tourism, to people traveling to the Costa del Sol to live the atmosphere and the night parties or families with small children who come to enjoy their holidays.
However, in the province of Malaga and specifically on the Costa del Sol we have a very valuable and very interesting historical heritage. That is why the tourists who visit us can also know a little more about our history through ancient monuments and remains of great archaeological interest.
Some of the monuments of the historical heritage of Marbella and most important surroundings, which most have a regime of protection of Cultural Interest, are those that we explain below.
VILLA ROMANA RÍO VERDE
It seems incredible but in Marbella, specifically at the height of the National Highway 340, on Av. Juan Chinchilla, we have remains of a Roman villa, specifically the Roman Villa of Rio Verde.
From the villa, the atrium (the inner courtyard) and several outbuildings are preserved. However, what has remained in better condition is a polychrome mosaic that represents the head of Medusa, a female monster of Greek mythology.
ANCON TOWER
It is a watchtower of the sixteenth century located at the foot of the beach, at the height of kilometer 183 of the A-7. This tower of circular plant conserves a room with a chimney and the window from which the torrero exerted his work of surveillance.
The most impressive aspect of the tower, besides its location, is the masonry exterior cladding and its good state of preservation.
TORRE DE LAS BÓVEDAS
Torre de las Bóvedas is the only one of the watchtowers of the area that is located in the east and is strategically located on the beach of Guadalmina, from where it fulfilled its function of guarding and protecting the coast.
It was built between 1571 and 1575 and even today it preserves perfectly defined and differentiated the base and the built part (the chamber and the roof).
TORRE LANCE DE LAS CAÑAS
The Torre Lance de las Cañas is the only one different from all the watchtowers in Marbella, as its plant resembles the hoof of a horse.
RIO REAL TOWER
This tower, built in the last part of the 16th century, is located about three hundred meters from the river that bears the same name. Like most watchtowers in the area, it fits within the typology of Christian buildings that were built at that time.
For lovers of art and architecture, the most impressive of this tower is the cladding of stone blocks that it has, which were possibly extracted from the remains that were preserved from a nearby Phoenician settlement.
PALEOCRISTIAN BASILICA VEGA DEL MAR
The Paleochristian Basilica Vega del Mar is surely the most impressive archaeological work on the Costa del Sol, along with the necropolis located within the architectural complex. The pity is that only part of the walls of this church of Visigothic origin are preserved.
It is believed that this great construction can reach more than 1,500 years old, since the tombs found in the necropolis are between the III and VII centuries AD.
