Gaucin
Has a population of over 1.800 inhabitants. Situated
in the most southern area of "La Serranía
de Ronda", it serves as a connection between
the administrative district and "El Campo de
Gibraltar". The beauty of the town itself and
of its surroundings, its splendid climate and its
tradition of hospitality make it into a town where
a large number of foreigners have settled, fundamentally
English Nationals who discovered the place nearly
two centuries ago, when the long excursions from Gibraltar
were frequent. The Hotel National is the living memory
of those distant, romantic journeys. From the remains
found, it is believed that its origin was Roman, although
its consolidation as a stable urban centre comes about
during the Arabic domination. The town is founded
in the background of the castle of "El Águila"
which was to witness, due to its exceptional strategic
positioning, important warring, heroic deeds. In 1309,
Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, "Guzmán
El Bueno", met his death there. In 1485, it
passes on to Christian hands but a few years later,
the bloody Morís uprising has to be crushed.
In more recent times, during the War of Independence,
Gaucin offered a tenacious resistance to the invading
Frenahc forces who brutally plunder it after its fall.
The Castle of El Águila, from the Tenth Century,
together with the Church of San Sebastián,
built in 1505, the Convent of Las Carmelitas, from
1704 and the Fountain of Los Seis Caños, dating
from 1628, make up the most interesting of its monument
heritage.
Its festive calendar includes the celebrations in
honour of "El Santo Niño" and of
"San Juan de Dios", on the last Sunday
in August; The Feria Mayor, also held in August; and
"el Toro de Cuerda", a very old tradition
which consists of running a fighting bull tied with
a rope through the streets of the town.
Its cuisine is essentially based on local grown products
like fennel, "gachas", "moraga"
and cold vegetable soups. The home made sweets and
cakes enjoy recognised fame and they continue to be
made with the same age- old recipes: "roscos
blancos", "rosquillos de almendra",
"bizcochos", "mantecados"
and "pestiños" will delight cake
lovers.
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