Despite its small size, just 16 square kilometres, the municipality of Cuevas del Becerro displays some very distinctive characteristics that differentiate it from the neighbouring areas of Antequera and even those of Ronda by which it is surrounded. It is already somewhat evident here, however, that one is on the verge of a much more profound change in terrain, which is that between the lowlands of Antequera and the Highlands. |
 |
The village houses are spread across a hill that is encircled by the Vijan mountain range (905 metres) and the Los Tercios (948 metres) hill, with the River Las Cuevas flowing between these heights. Considering that Cuevas del Becerro is more than 700 metres above sea level, these mountains do not represent a strong contrast but rather a kind of shelter for the village. Farther down the Las Cuevas valley, the Castillón, Las Palomas and El Pilón del Zorro hills are equally prominent, with elevations of around 950 metres. The scenery is enriched with live oaks and rocky crests, while the lower areas are covered by grain fields and olive trees.
This municipality could hardly be an exception, among those of the area, with respect to the first appearance of human settlements, especially since its location and topographic characteristics make it an absolutely ideal natural pass between the regions of Ronda and Antequera. Thus, prehistoric remains have been found in the environs of the Castillón hill, on the north-eastern part of the Las Palomas hill–this is the most noteworthy – and also adjacent to La Fuente del Zorro (El Zorro fountain).
Once again it was the Romans, however, who left the most interesting evidence of their stay in these lands, as can be seen in Casas de las Villas, a site next to the village football field and in which have been found stucco, paving stones and coins from the Imperial age. The most significant find from the Roman era, however, is of an olive-oil producing villa that also devoted itself to pottery making. Two ovens and part of a third are preserved from this activity.
There is little documentation from the period of the Arabic domination, although it is reasonable to suppose that the village’s activity in that era was similar to that of adjacent areas for which concrete records do exist. It is a known fact that the village was conquered by Alfonso XI of Castile in 1330 during his second campaign against the Muslims, the same campaign in which Teba, Ardales, Cañete, Priego and Ortejícar also fell.
The parish archives preserve documents that begin in the eighteenth century, and the first ones in the municipal archives are from 1867, when the lands on which the village now sits belonged to the Marchioness of Cuevas del Becerro and Benamejí.
The San Antonio Abad church, ruins of the Cerro del Castillón medieval castle, Cueva del Moro (El Moro cave), and the fountain Fuente del Nacimiento.
If you start from the city of Málaga take the A-357 towards Campillos. About six kilometres past Ardales turn left onto the A-367, and 30 kilometres on this road will get you to Cuevas del Becerro. If the trip is done from Ronda, take the aforementioned A-367, which leads from that city straight to Cuevas del Becerro. The distance between these two points is about 20 kilometres.
|
