The Area - History and Landscape

Situated just 9 kilometres from the coast, in between the mountains of the Sierra Almijara, lies the typical Andalusian white washed village of Sayalonga. 500 years ago the Moors constructed terraced fields which still surround this beautifull village. Vineyards, olive groves, citrus fruits, almond and nispero trees flourish in this wonderful climate. Here Andalucia has remained unchanged.

The Sayalonga landscape is formed by the valley of the Algarrobo-Sayalonga river and by the Ravita de Sayalonga hills. The valley is deep and with steep slopes, but at the banks of the river, in some low areas and around the town, man has known how to make the best of the water growing crops which smoothen the hardness of the environment. Further from these small cultivated areas, the vegetable growing continues into the furthest stretches of land avaliable. On the Ravita hills, the abruptness continues to be the dominant note, but there is a notable presence of scattered houses.

Sayalonga's position, in a valley which was origionaly a passage way between the settlements at the foot of the sierra and the coast, must have been an important gateway in the past but it's origional dates of first habbitation are not known.

Once again, it must have been the Arabs who consolidated the occupation of the area, not only forming the town, but other settlements close to this one, as in the case of Corumbela on the opposite slope of the valley. Here the minaret is conserved from an old mosque which has been converted into the tower wich is part of the present church.

After the Christian conquest, the events in Sayalonga were similar to the rest in the area until the expulsion of the Moors.