The greatest fallacy about Marbella is that it is a recently developed tourist centre, to which it owes its fame and existence.
On the contrary, Marbella's history started at least 1,000 years before Christ, and it never was a small village scraping a living from fishing sardines.
Until very recent times, it was an important urban centre, deriving its wealth from agriculture and mining.
Just when Marbella started has not been defined by archaeologists and historians: some think it was the site of the Greek town, Mainake, others of the Roman town, Salduba, or Cilniana, the latter generally thought to have been closer to San Pedro de Alcantara.
Ptolemy and the Roman historian Pomponius Mela both wrote about Salduba, a town situated close to Malaca (Malaga) and to Laccipo (north of present day Casares). But apart from arguments about the name of the place, what is certain is that a substantial settlement already existed in Roman times, and probably predated them. Indeed, Neolithic remains have been found in the Pecho Redondo cave, not far from the site of the original settlement. Roman remains found in and around Marbella indicate a town of considerable size. One of the first historians of Marbella's past, Vazquez Clavel, carried out excavations in the 17th century and laid bare the remains of public baths in calle Muro, foundations of buildings in calle Carmen and Ortiz de Molinillo. A few years ago, coins and pottery shards emerged during renovation work on the town hall, and square pillars turned up in the Orange Square.
THE ROMAN OCCUPATION
The official historian of Marbella, Fernando Alcala, agrees with his colleague that the medieval town centre was built on the ruins of a Roman town, which he identifies with the Roman Salduba, whose remains were subsequently used by the Arabs, in particular in the Moorish castle, which incorporates both pillars and an Ionic capital.
There a number of other Roman remains within the municipal area, such as the Roman baths south of San Pedro de Alcantara, or the Roman villa in Rio Verde. According to recent excavations, the baths seem to have been part of a large country estate, built towards the end of the Roman empire. This large establishment received water by aqueduct, and there are signs that salt manufacture was carried out here, possibly, the highly the highly prized "gurum". The cupolas (bovedas in Spanish) of the baths have been preserved, hence the name given to the site. The Roman villa at Rio Verde, excavated by the archaeologist Carlos Posac, is in fairly good condition, especially its mosaic floors, decorated with culinary motifs and the central motif of the Gorgon's head.
Another archaeological site of importance is the double-naved paleochristian basilica of Vega del Mar, registered as a national site of historic interest. Excavated by Professor Perez de Barrada in 1930, it is thought to date from the 4th century A.D.
ARAB MARBELLA
The Arabs who invaded Spain in the 8th century, quickly recognized the strategic value of the town. In the 12th century, the Arab historian Al Idrisi described it as a small but well populated town; whose population at the time was an estimated 3,000 inhabitants.
The Arabs fortified the town, as witnessed by many remains of this work, more or less well conserved until today, the most important remaining feature being the Moorish castle.
Moreover, the entire coastline was guarded by a string of signalling towers from which incursions from the other side of the Mediterranean could be monitored. Later on, some of these towers were rebuilt by the Catholic Kings and Carlos V built an additional towers to keep a watch on traffic from Morocco. In Arab times, Marbella was a town whose houses were interspersed by orchards, their figs and fruits famous for miles around. According to Fernando Alcala, the castle was built by Caliphate in the 10th century, and was subsequently extended in the Nazari era.
Carlos Posac thinks that in parts of its perimeter, remains of Roman temples were used. The town walls had three gates - on the Ronda side, the Malaga side, and on the shore, names which have survived in local street names.
King Ferdinand the Catholic, in his advance towards Granada, easily conquered the town on 11th June 1485. Since then, the saint honoured on this day, the Cypriot Barnabas, has become patron saint of the city. The spot on which the Moorish governor handed over the keys of the town to the King is called the Cross of the place of Humiliation. Contrary to what is usually thought, this name was given to the spot because it was King Ferdinand who knelt to give thanks to God for having been able to take the town without bloodshed. So it was not the Moor who knelt in submission.
FORTIFICATION BY THE CATHOLIC SOVEREIGNS
The Catholic Sovereigns decided to strengthen the town's defences, and the town entered a sweeping process of transformation. Alcala points to the construction of a number of chapels, of the convent of the Santisima Trinidad, almost stuck to the walls, and of which only a few crumbling arches survive today. The shrine of Santiago was built at the edge of the Orange square, whilst the now demolished convent of San Francisco was built outside the walls.
New streets were laid down, amongst them the calle Nueva which linked the sea gate (Puerta del Mar) and gave access to the seafront.
Other important buildings from this period were the Alonso de Bazan hospital, built by the mayor holding office in 1568, now converted into the Museum of Contemporary Spanish Engravings and seat of the Cultural Office of the Town Hall. The town prison was located on the Orange Square, but no trace of it survives, since the new Town Hall was built on the site. Its recent renovation conserved the old meeting hall, with its coffered ceiling and murals, now the office of the mayor, after having served as a museum and in the 17th century as a court of justice. The frescoes represent Saints Just a and Rufina, Christ Crucified and the imperial shield of Spain.
The parish church of the Encarnacion, whose belfry was for centuries the highest point of the town, was built in 1618. The Austrian emperors also promoted the the town's development as evidenced by the Casa del Corregidor, the Orange Square and many mansions with their characteristic watchtowers.
Marbella continued to grow during the 18th century with the development of the San Francisco district, with its characteristic streets such as calle Ancha and calle Lobatas.
On the seafront, the San Luis fort was built, on whose site the Hotel El Fuerte now stands. In the middle of the 18th century, the historic centre of Marbella comprised 820 houses, of which only 14 were in ruins or uninhabited. New churches were built such as the Santisimo Cristo de la Vera Cruz, in calle Ancha, or of the Calvario in the park of the same name, already engulfed by the spread of the town. The project to fortify the castle's defenses was drawn up in 1735, and of the first English travellers to reach Marbella, Francis Carter wrote that Marbella "has an extremely pleasant position".
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
During the 19th century, the town grew towards the Barrio Nuevo, now known as simply the Barrio, next to the Las Represas stream bed. Several public works were undertaken, such as buildings, streets and bridges. This growth was closely linked to the disappearance of pirates which enabled areas outside the walls to be inhabited. The major boost to the town came from private industrial development, with the opening of the ironworks at La Conception by the Heredia family, and at El Angel by the Ejiro family. Together, these two establishments employed over 1,000 workers, and Marbella was one of the first places in Spain where furnaces were installed.
However, once locally available supplies of fuel wood, obtained by clear cutting surrounding forests, had been exhausted, the works were closed down.
Another centre of activity was the agricultural estate established in 1870 by the Marques del Duero, from which the village of San Pedro de Alcantara later developed.
Town lighting by gas lamps was installed in 1845, replaced by electricity at the end of the 19th century. The lamp in the plaza Virgen de Africa, transferred from in front of the Town Hall, is dated 1886. Alcala Marin, a premier source of historical data, considers that the most important developments for the town at this time were the settlements in San Pedro and El Angel.
The San Pedro de Alcantara estate initially covered 10,000 hectares and became a model agricultural centre for the entire country, in terms of both its organization and production methods, which included the introduction of the agricultural machinery. The first steam driven tractor was tried out there. The original settlement included 146 houses and nearly 1000 labourers; water reservoirs and piping were installed, and the settlement became a village with its governing structures and own security. Its products, especially its wonderful oranges, are part of the folk memory of its inhabitants.
THE MARINA
This area, to the south of the town, was developed some years later, although it had already been inhabited in Roman times. Several salt manufactures were built, and there was a tower called La Mar. There are many eyewitness accounts to the beauty of the shoreline of Marbella. The San Luis fort was finished in 1725, accessible only by drawbridge. However, it was destroyed during the War of Independence against France, at the start of the 19th century, since the retreating French forces blew it up. Just a small part of a battlement remains preserved in the gardens of the hotel.
First plans for a port took shape with the so called stone quay which was started in 1818 under King Fernando VII. Construction was difficult, and in 1830, when barely 100 metres had been completed, it was abandoned.
Another important quay was for iron ore loadings, built by "The Marbella Iron Ore C.L." which worked to Penoncillo iron mine. Built of cast iron, with a total length of 344 metres, this was situated in the centre of the harbour, in what is now the Miguel Cano access road. This mine was closed early in this century, the quay was dismantled and sold as scrap in 1934.
The old lighthouse, on the site of the new one, was also built in the middle of the 19th century.
The town's first port, for fishing boats, was built in 1955, in front of the fishermen's district - La Bajadilla.
20th CENTURY.
Development of Marbella in this century began with some of its most idyllic spots: the Guadalpin promenade, the Fontanilla development, the old Alameda, centre of the town's activities with its covered bandstand and horse drawn carriages.
Other buildings were also added: the bullring, the casino, the main theatre, and the first hotels such as the Commercial (1918) and the Miramar (1935). Tourism started after the war, thanks to the initiative of pioneers such as Ricardo Soriano, Marques de Ivanrey, who built the Rodeo restaurants and inn. These were followed by the El Fuerte Hotel , the Marbella Club Hotel, the San Nicolas, the Don Pepe and Los Monteros.
The breaking up of the San Pedro and El Angel settlements led to the first residential developments of villas, such as Guadalmina, promoted by Norberto Goizueta, or Nueva Andalucia, promoted by Jose Banus. The yacht harbour which carries his name, built 25 years ago, has become the most important in Spain. More harbours followed, in Marbella and Cabopino, a dozen golf courses were opened, and hundreds of residential developments built.
So, the development of the supposed tiny fishing village, according to those who do not know Marbella's history, has now turned this historic town into the flagship of Spanish tourism.
Much more history awaits Marbella in the future; meanwhile it is proud of its historic and ancient past.