One of the gems of Andalusia
Ronda is situated in a mountainous region in central Andalusia, about fifty miles inland from the Costa del Sol and about 750 meters above sea level.
The Guadalevín river splits the town in half and has a deep gorge known as El Tajo, over where three famous bridges are built: Puente Romano, the Puente Viejo and the famous Puente Nuevo. It is really an experience to lean out a little bit and take an breath-taking view.
La Posada del Angel can provide you with a nice walk along the sights of the old city.
The three bridges of Ronda
The town is in a mountainous area with peaks of 2500 meters. The Guadalevín River runs through the city and there are three bridges:
The Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) is one of the most famous sights of Ronda. The bridge is 120 meters long and 98 meters high. The first built bridge collapsed after six years (1741) and the current bridge was completed in 1793 after 40 years of construction. The bridge is made of stones that were quarried on site. The area under the curve was used as a prison and later as a museum.
The Puente Viejo (Old Bridge) is located in a lower part of the walls of Ronda. The bridge was built in 1616 and is used for pedestrians. The bridge consists of one arch of 10 meters and it is 31 meters high above the river.
The Puente Arabe is also called the Roman bridge, even though it was built in the era of the Arabs. Through this 12 meter high bridge (and a tower which no longer exists), one could go to the east side of the city Ronda.
Plaza de Toros in Ronda, Museum of Bullfighting
From the eighteenth century, bullfighting began to be increasingly important in the area and a ‘Plaza de Toros’ built was in Ronda in 1784, which makes it the oldest in Spain. The famous bullfighter Pedro Romero was born in Ronda and won many battles there. Meanwhile, four bullfights are still held there per year (all in September), and for the rest of the year it is a museum.
One of the main churches of Ronda is the Santa Maria la Mayor. In this church, you can find the famous statue of Nuestra Señora de la Paz (Our-Lady-of-the-Peace).