| Deep in the south of Spain's southernmost province, | | | | Later the Romans occupied the town for six hundred |
| Cadiz, hidden in the Gatidano mountain range, is Arcos | | | | years until 400 AD one of their more durable |
| de la Frontera the prettiest town in Spain. Although the | | | | examples being the bridge at Ronda also near Arcos. |
| old walled town of Arcos only holds 4000 people | | | | Outside of Seville, in the town of Santinponce, is Italica, |
| & is lost in a valley hidden in the mountains, its | | | | the largest city of ancient Rome after Rome itself |
| place in Spanish history is important because of the | | | | & includes a 25,000 seat Amphitheatre. |
| town's strategic placement in Catholic Spain's long | | | | After the Romans came the Visigoths for 300 years |
| struggle against the Moorish kingdom. Boabdil, the last | | | | until 711 AD. Then the Moors for a further 500 years |
| Moorish king, finally fell in 1492, the same year | | | | until 1264 AD. Architecture from each culture is still |
| Columbus sailed west for India. At Cadiz's tip, near | | | | mixed with even later styles like the Spanish Baroque |
| Arcos de la Frontera, Africa looms large across a bit | | | | throughout the buildings of the town. Which despite its |
| of water that seems a mere swim away. | | | | diminutive size hold seven churches two of which are |
| A friendly town, Arcenses, as the population of Arcos | | | | Cathedrals! Santa Maria & San Pedro enjoyed an |
| are known, tend to ready smiles & obliging attitude | | | | enmity based on their rivalry as most important |
| to the visitor. A variety of restaurants from cheap to | | | | Cathedral that lasted centuries. In the fifteenth century |
| middle priced in the old town or by the lake where one | | | | a bishop made the trip from Arcos to Rome on a |
| can fish, sail, paddle or wind-surf. Many of its hotels like | | | | donkey to ask for Papal dispensation on the matter of |
| its restaurants are housed in beautiful & ancient | | | | which had seniority. It was more than four years |
| stone buildings. | | | | before he returned with the gift the Pope made him of |
| Arcos is built atop a sharp promontory with cliffs to | | | | a carved baby Christ (on view today) but no final |
| either side in the middle of a wide valley surrounded by | | | | decision. |
| distant mountains. The only approaches to the town | | | | As the feud grew each church tried to show its |
| are at either end of its long, thin length & they are | | | | importance in whatever way it could like being the first |
| protected by heavy gates. One begins to see how its | | | | to ring the bells upon the hour, which competition |
| sheer impregnability made it an important stronghold in | | | | quickly led to very poor time-keeping! Finally in 1775 the |
| the constant battles against the Moors & some of | | | | Vatican made the decision the older of the two, Santa |
| the churches still display the 'infidel's' banners won in | | | | Maria, built between the fifteenth & eighteenth |
| battle. | | | | centuries, was the senior Cathedral. |
| Arcos' coat of arms includes the legend: "King Brigo | | | | A rich history, beauty of a kind that can only grow, |
| founded Arcos and Alfonso the Wise recovered it | | | | evolve, over centuries & can never be designed. |
| from the Moors" King Brigo being Noah's grandson | | | | The gorgeous country-side that surrounds it including |
| & Alfonso the Wise the thirteenth century king | | | | valley, forest & mountain for horse-back riding or |
| that captured & held it against the Moors. The bit | | | | trekking. Easy access to Andalucia's most important |
| about it being founded around the time of the great | | | | cities: Seville, Jerez de la Frontera, Malaga, a short |
| biblical flood is surely legend but Arcos does, | | | | distance (2 hours) from Tangiers in Morocco & an |
| never-the-less, offer evidence of an ancient history. | | | | hour from Gibraltar or Cadiz, Europe's oldest town. |
| Beginning with evidence from pre-historic Iberia including | | | | Without mentioning the area's cultural roots in Spain's |
| skeletons, artefacts & cave paintings dating back | | | | bullfighting, horse breeding & Flamenco- Arcos de |
| as far as 150,000 years. Some of the caves in the | | | | la Frontera is still a largely undiscovered jewel & |
| cliffs of Arcos of unknown ancient inhabitants are still | | | | definitely worth a visit. |
| lived in today. | | | | |