Malaga Highlights - sights and attractions

The Castillo de Gibralfaro, as it is called in Spanish, is also one of Malaga’s characteristic features. It was built in the first half of the 14th century by Yusuf I, caliph of Granada. The location chosen for the castle was a hilltop on which years earlier a Phoenician lighthouse had been built. Due to that lighthouse, the Muslims called it “Yabal-Faruk”, meaning “Lighthouse Hill” and that is essentially where the castle derived its name from.

The Castle had a prominent role during the Christian Reconquest of Spain, when in 1487 the Catholic Kings managed to capture it from the Moors and use it to keep war prisoners in. Much later in 1812 the castle was destroyed by the French army and its ruins have remained there to this day, sharing the hilltop with cypress and pine trees of the area.

This castle represents an important part of Malaga's history. Come for a visit to get a feel of what things were like in days gone by while taking your Spanish Language Course in Malaga.