PERCHED ATOP THE DIZZYING HEIGHTS OF THE SERRANIA DE RONDA, ALPANDEIRE IS A MOORISH GEM OF BRILLANT CONTOURS. THE VILLAGE MADE FAMOUS BY FRAY LEOPOLDO IS THE PERFECT SPOT PEACE-LOVING SOULS.

The Panditos (as the inhabitants of this remarkable locality are known) live tucked away in the foothills of the Sierra de Jarastepar, raised some 700 metres above sea level. Around them, the rocky landscape of the northern slopes slowly give way toward the south, softening into rolling hills and valleys, painted in delicate hues by the chestnut trees, cork oaks, pines and olive groves.

The distant past.
The slopes of the Serranía de Ronda have been inhabited since prehistoric times, as attested to by many signs in Alpandeire itself. The dolmens of Encinas Borrachas and Montero stand as noble witnesses to such ancient settlements, while a number of megalithic burial sites have revealed secrets of their way of life and funereal practices.
On the site of the lost village of Ambareg, believed to have been located on the nearby hill of Cerro del Castillejo, graves and mummies have also been found, including those of a man and a woman, which are jealously guarded, in perfect condition, in the local church.
Other remains, this time of pottery, found in such places as La Vasija and La Mimbre, indicate that the Romans settled in the area for some time. Nonetheless, the origins of Alpandeire are indisputably Moorish.

It was in 711, shortly after Tarik first set foot on the Iberian peninsula, that Alpandeire was founded, making it one of the first villages built by the Arabs in the Serranía de Ronda. The recent history of the town is closely intertwined with that of one of its more spiritual sons: the monk Fray Leopoldo de Alpandeire. Born in 1866, he dedicated his life to helping the needy. Popular devotion to this Capuchin friar, to whom many miraculous deeds are ascribed, has grown over the years, and both his tomb, in Granada, and his birthplace are visited by many of the faithful.

A labyrinth of white
The centre of Alpandeire is a labyrinth of ever-sloping whitewashed streets. At its heart the church of San Antonio de Padua, built in the mid-16th century and rebuilt in the 18th.

This generously proportioned parish church (locals call it the "Cathedral"), has three vaulted naves and a domed transept, while on the outside stand two octagonal, brick-built bell towers topped with pyramid-shaped copings. The crypt, meanwhile, conceals and ancient cementery where, according to legend, the corpses almost intact. Indeed, as mentioned above, two embalmed mummies are preserved in the pantheon of the church.
Other places of interest include the Old Granary (16th century), which now houses a cultural centre; the Monolith of Fernando VII, and statue raised in memory of Fray Leopoldo himself. Nearby, the Valle del Genal is without any doubt worth a visit, as is a climb up the peaks of Jaratepar, El Carnero and Pozancón; a trip down the Canalizo and Infiernillo ravines; an ascent of the Cerro de los Frailes, or a plunge into the waterfall of Chorrerón or the source of the Laza.

Basic data
Size: 31.30 Km²
Population: 300
Residents known as: Panditos
Monuments: Church of San Antonio de Padua, Moorish remains of Audalaza, the Pozancón and the Tajo del Castillejo.
Geographical situation: In the Ronda administrative district, 17 kilometres from Ronda and 120 from Malaga, at 700 metres above sea level.
Tourist information: Town Hall, C/ Pilar, 21. 29460.
Phone: 952 180 254 Fax: 952 180 309

Fiestas
The festival in honour of the patron saint, la Virgen del Rosario, takes place on October 7th. One of the most typical and traditional festivals in the town is the ³Festival of the Niño del Huerto² (Child of the Garden), which takes place on Easter Sunday, the organisers of which are elected in secret. On June 24th there is the festival in honour of Fray Leopoldo, lasting a day only and involving a number of organised activities. The middle of August sees the festival in honour of the patron saint, San Roque, in which the image of the saint is taken out in procession through the streets, and there is speech making in the town square. It lasts a number of days.

Gastronomy
The speciality of the area is the desserts, especially the delicious sponge cakes of Alpandeire. They come in all shapes, sizes and flavours, and are known as roscos de leche, flores de miel, gañotes, pestiños, suspiros and borrachuelos, the translations of which would be of little value to visitors. One is also advised to try the serbas, which are plums picked green and eaten after having been buried in straw for some time.
Personalities, Fray Leopoldo
Fray Leopoldo was born in Alpandeire on June 24th, 1866. He left the town at the age of 33 to become a Capuchin monk in Granada, where he remained until his death in 1956, having dedicated his entire life there to the Order. A number of miracles have been attributed to him, even in our own day, and his tomb is visited regularly by believers in search of divine help. The process of his beatification began in 1961, and his sanctification came later. Frey Leopoldo has a special place in the hearts of the people of Alpandeire, as can be seen in the conservation of his memory throughout the town: his birth-place, situated in the centre; the Villa Fría, where he lived on the road between Ronda and Alpandeire, and the place known as El Cerrajón, where a statue was raised in his honour.