Clinging to the side of a rocky gorge lies the old village of Casares, the birthplace of the father of Andalusian nationalism, BLAS INFANTE. Since 1978 the historical and artistic heritage of the village has been officially protected. This is one of those places that can be termed as a "hanging village", as it is suspended on the mountainside 435 metres above sea level.

This unique location is complemented with a picturesque and intricate netwok of steep streets Where cherrful houses with interesting architectural desing stand several storeys high on the side of the gorge. These must have involved calculations that would surprise even today's most daring architects, and can be put down solely to human ingenuity during the rich history of this village.Casares boasts it own unique way of life which is best understood after firts going back over its long history, which goes back to Roman times.

At that time the spa of la Hedionda was already well known, located on the road to Manilva, and this is where Julius Caesar was cured of a liver complaint, thanks to the sulphuric waters that still pour out of the local spring. It was for this reason that during the Roman Empire Casares was allowed to mint its own coins, and honour granted by the emperor in gratitude for the curing of a skin disease after bathing in the village's sulphuric and alkaline waters. Evidence of the Moorish presence can still be seen here in the 12th century Castle, around which grew the present town centre. In 1361, Pedro the Cruel and the dethroned Mohamed V of Granada signed the Pact of Casares, by which the Moorish king recuperated his throne, leaving Casares as part of the Nazrid kingdom. The town surrendered to the Catholic forces after the fall or Ronda in 1485 and was handed over to Rodrigo Ponce de León, Duke of Cádiz, as part of his domains. Here too the Duke of Arcos accepted the durrender of the rebel Moriscos, the Moors who had "converted" to Christianity. Casares had taken an active part in this rebellio, put down by Don Juan de Austria. The town separated from Manilva in 1795, being granted the title of Villa. At a later period, Casares was the only town, apart from Cádiz, that the Napoleonic troops has not been able to take.

FIESTAS

The Feria of Casares takes place during the first forthight in August. The day of the patron saint, the Virgen del Rosario, is celebrated in the first week in September, and in the middle of this month too is the Feria del Cristo.
The most important of the Romerías takes place in May, in which there is Flamenco music and dancing in the traditional style.
Hang-gliding is a popular sport here, as well as mountain climbing and trekking.

GATRONOMY
The most typical dish of the area is the Casares Soup, although there are many other dishes associated with the town too, including the mountain rabbit in a sauce made from onion and flavoured with thyme, rosemary and laurel.

BLAS INFANTE
The driving force behind the concept of Andalusian nationalism, Blas Infante, was born in Casares on July 5th, 1885. He finished his law studies in 1906 and three years later became a public notary, thereafter devoting his career to Andalusian nationalism through his Junta Liberalista de Andalucía, a group of Andalusian intellectuals whose aim was "to strengthen the vitality of the regions and municipalities through common interest and solidarity, and to set in motion a movement that will lift and regenerate Andalucía by the promotion of a regional sperit and strong links between all the Andalusian provinces".

This text forms part of the Ronda Conference of 1918, as a part of the Andalusian Congress in which the white and green Andalusian flag was firts unfolded in public, and the Andalusian anthem was sung, written by Blas Infante himself and a composer from the town of Cantillana.

Shopping
The handicraft of Casares is based on esparto grass objects, weaving, lacework, jewellry, ceramics, glass and woodwork for making artistic doors.

BASIC DATA
Size: 162 km2
Population: Approx. 3.500
Residents known as: Casareños
Monuments: Ruins of the Moorish fortress, cementery, Church of La Encarnación, Caves of Ballesteros, Hedionda, Crestelina and El Gran Duque.
Geographical situation: In the Ronda Mountains and the Costa del Sol, 104 Kilometres from Málaga, at 435 metres above sea level.
Tourist information: Town Hall, C/.La Fuente, 91 29690 Casares.
Phone: 952 894 056 Fax: 952 894 017