Architectural Jewels of Malaga (Self Guided), Malaga

Two palaces make up the Palacio Episcopal de Malaga that stands on the Plaza de Obispo. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Malaga. There are many intricately decorated buildings within the complex making the entire structure a work of art. It is regarded as the finest example of baroque architecture in Andalusia.

The first palace in the complex was built in the 16th century. The second was constructed in the 18th century by Bishop Lasso de Castilla. Architects Antonio Ramos and Jose Martin de Aldehuela designed the building including the ornate Baroque marble façade in colors of pink, white and grey. There is an interior covered patio leading to a grand staircase. On the side, the Bishop’s private patio has 18th century tile work and small tiled fountains. On the third floor is a vaulted ledge that has a beautiful alabaster sculpture of the Virgen de las Angustias by Fernando Ortiz and Manuel Augustin Valero.

The Palacio Episcopal today houses the offices of the Bishop on the top floor. The lower floors are used by the Government of Andalusia for large art exhibitions. The spaces within the building are also used for meetings and other public purposes. There is also a Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art within the complex.

This parish church presides over one of the four parishes established in Malaga after the defeat of the Moors in 1487. Two fraternities that go on procession on Holy Week have chapels within the building. The fraternity of sorrows of San Juan occupies the sacramental chapel and a chapel in the right aisle and the Fused brotherhood occupies four chapels, three in the left aisle and one at the foot of the right aisle.

The church was constructed combining Gothic and Mujedar architectural styles with Moorish arches and pillars. A tower was completed in 1543. The 1680 earthquake damaged the structure including the tower. A baroque style tower porch leading to the building was erected at the entrance of the church in 1770 and reconstruction of the church was completed in 1780. The tower porch has a rectangular shape with an elliptical dome. The chapels and altarpiece of the church are richly carved. There is a splendid 17th-century statue of San Juan by the artist, Franciso Ortiz.

The building has undergone periodic restoration. Extensive repairs were carried out in 1962. Recently, the interiors were given a makeover and the church was repainted from beige to the original white.

Why You Should Visit:
Stands out for its huge tower and very unusual exterior murals from the 18th century.
The interior is a soft shade of blue and also impressive, including the richly decorated altar.

Located in Plaza de San Ignacio de Loyola, the Church of the Sacred Heart (Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón) is a Neo-Gothic temple, constructed in 1920.

Among the diverse Neo-Gothic churches built in Malaga at the turn of the 20th century, this is the only one located in the Old Town that belongs to the Jesuit Order. Commissioned by the Jesuits, the architect Fernando Guerrero Strachan designed it in January 1907, using the cathedral of Toledo as a model to integrate Islamic elements, as well as the cathedral in Burgos and the monastery of las Huelgas.

The produced result is the basilica, divided into three naves, covered with a ribbed vault. The transept, with an octagonal plan and a star-shaped vault, stands out. The choir is set at the foot of the central nave, which is higher and wider than the side aisles. Another prominent feature is the Gothic-style stained glass windows, produced by Apolo Parkinson Molinari.

Why You Should Visit:
Amid the myriad of impressive churches found in (or around) the historic center of Málaga, this one may appear somewhat tucked away and overshadowed by the Malaga Cathedral, but is still worth checking out, if only for the cleaned stonework – rather pretty, especially when floodlit at night.

One of the four churches built by the Spanish Catholic Monarchs after the defeat of the Moors in 1487, Iglesia de los Martires is dedicated to two martyred saints, Ciriaco and Paula who were canonized in an early Christian era. The saints, together with Our Lady of Victory are the patron saints of the city of Malaga.

Work on the church began in 1491. Don Diego de Deza increased the pace of building the structure in 1505. The architectural style was Gothic-Mujedar with pointed arches. There are three naves topped with a majestic cupola on top of the main chapel. It underwent extensive renovation in the 18th century and was rededicated in 1777. The church was damaged several times after 1777 and the present structure is a result of repairs and renovations in 1945. The brick church has many styles and the predominant design is Rococo. The tower still retains its Mujedar Moorish design. The church has 11 chapels decorated marble and stone sculpture. In 1545, Diego de Portilla installed a baptismal font. Many of the chapels have gilded altars.

This church of the Martyrs stands on a square called Martyr’s Plaza. A simple church service to honor the martyred saints takes place on 18th June every year.

Why You Should Visit:
The inside is beautifully decorated. The walls and ceiling are white so the artwork shows off quite nicely.

Tip:
Check out the side chapels – in particular, the one containing a life-size naturalistic sculptural depiction of the Last Supper.

The Roman Theatre of Málaga is one of the city’s most important archaeological remains and a clear reminder of its Roman past. It was built in the early 1st century AD, during the reign of Emperor Augustus, when Málaga was a prosperous Roman municipium within the province of Hispania Baetica. Set at the foot of the Alcazaba hill, close to the ancient harbour, the theatre hosted dramatic performances and public gatherings. The seating area was carefully integrated into the slope of the hillside: the semicircular enclosure has a radius of about 31 metres, reaches a height of roughly 16 metres, and is divided by aisles to organise spectators. In front of it lies the orchestra, a semicircular space about 15 metres wide where performances were staged.

After the decline of Roman rule, the theatre gradually fell out of use and was buried beneath later structures. During the Islamic period, some of its stone was reused in the construction of the Alcazaba above, and in the 20th century the site was covered by a cultural centre. The theatre came back to light only in 1951, during redevelopment works, prompting systematic excavations that revealed its overall form, including seating tiers, sections of the stage, and surviving fragments of original walls. Much of what visitors see today is a careful reconstruction that outlines the ancient structure. Excavation is still ongoing, and signs of a larger Roman complex around the theatre continue to emerge.

A modern interpretation centre, inaugurated in 2010, offers audiovisual presentations explaining Roman Málaga and displaying objects uncovered during excavations.

The Málaga Fortress, commonly known as the Alcazaba, is a defining reminder of the city’s Islamic past. Built in the 11th century during Muslim rule in al-Andalus, it functioned both as a military stronghold and as a residence for governors. Its commanding position above the old city and port allowed control over maritime traffic and inland routes. The complex was expanded and reinforced over time, particularly under the Nasrid dynasty, before being taken by the Catholic Monarchs in 1487 after one of the longest sieges of the Reconquest. King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I entered the fortress and raised their royal standard on the Tower of Tribute, a moment often cited as a turning point in the formation of unified Spain.

The fortress is organised as a carefully layered defensive system. Access to the outer enclosure is gained through the Vault Gate, designed with a sharp double-back turn intended to slow and expose intruders—though today visitors can bypass this ascent using an elevator located on Guillén Sotelo Street, behind the City Hall. From the Vault Gate, a rising path leads past gardens and ornate fountains to the Gate of Columns. After passing through the Gate of Columns, the path opens to the left toward the Christ Gate. Once through this gate, you enter the Parade Ground. Here, on the opposite side of the Christ Gate, the Gate of the Granada Quarters leads toward the palatial heart of the Alcazaba.

Beyond the Gate of the Granada Quarters lies the Courtyard of the Jets. On the western side of the courtyard, the 11th-century Taifa Palace comes into view. Its defining feature is the Southern Pavilion, which displays Caliphal-style horseshoe arches of particular elegance.

Moving to the northwestern side of the Courtyard of the Jets brings you into the Orange Tree Courtyard—a quiet space that once served as the entrance hall to the palaces. Continuing north, you encounter the more delicate architecture of the 13th-century Nasrid period. This section is centred around the Pool Palace, where a long reflecting pool and finely carved plaster arches define the space. The rooms surrounding this courtyard now house a small Archaeological Museum, displaying Moorish ceramics and artefacts uncovered during excavations.

The Rectory of the University of Malaga (Rectorado de la Universidad de Málaga) is housed in the Old Post Office building in the city. The style of the structure has Moorish elements that came to be known as Neo Mujedar.

The Cassa de Correos or Post office opened its doors in 1923. It was purpose built based on the plan of architect, Teodoro de Anasagasti y Algan. The building is the finest example of Neo Mujedar architecture in Malaga. The layout of the structure is square with rounded corners and cylindrical towers. The brick and stone façade is enhanced by ornamentation using cobalt blue tiles. To add to the Mujedar atmosphere, cobalt blue tiles are used in the interior especially around windows. An inner patio has a glass ceiling. From the patio visitors can see pits where a fish sauce called Garum was produced. Garum was historically exported to Rome, where it was considered a delicacy.

Until 1986, the building served as the main post office of the city. It then became the office of the Rector of the University of Malaga. The Rectorado de la Universidad de Malaga has a large exhibition hall on the first floor where free exhibitions are held by university scholars.

Found between the City Hall and the Old Post Office House, on Paseo del Parque, the Headquarters of the Bank of Spain in Malaga (Sede del Banco de Espana en Malaga) is a neoclassical building designed by architect Jose Yarnoz Larrosa. It was built from 1933 to 1936.

In keeping with the solid image of the bank headquarters that it represents, the three-storey building's shape and elements are meant to produce a strong impression. To this end, the architect used an imposing façade with its main element being a hexastyle porch with Corinthian columns supporting a portico. This columned portico, presiding over the front facing the park, represents a key link with historicist architecture, but with the fascist architectural aesthetics quite common during the 1930s, and as such is the highlight of the building.

With this, the edifice successfully reflects the idea of a great public property, both ancient and contemporary at the same time.

Málaga City Hall stands at the eastern edge of the historic centre, marking the transition between the old town and the parklands along the waterfront. Completed in 1919 during a period of civic optimism, the building reflects the city’s desire to project confidence and modernity through public architecture. Designed in an eclectic style, the City Hall combines Neoclassical symmetry with Baroque and regional decorative elements. The structure rises over three floors and is crowned by a central clock tower, while the façade is richly adorned with sculpted male figures and garlands of fruits and vegetables.

The interior contains a wealth of decorative features, including a prominent sculpture of a woman personifying the city of Málaga, surrounded by allegorical figures representing architecture, commerce, fishing, and the sea. On the first floor, stained-glass windows illustrate key moments from Málaga’s history, filtering coloured light into the ceremonial spaces. The second floor houses the mayor’s offices, the council meeting room, and the celebrated Hall of Mirrors, the most recognisable interior space. Here, Neo-Rococo mirror frames line the walls, while the ceiling features paintings by well-known artists. The surrounding corridors display painted portraits of Málaga’s 20th-century mayors.

Although Málaga City Hall remains an active administrative centre, visitors can enter only with special permission.

La Malagueta Cultural Center is one of Málaga’s most recognisable landmarks and a key example of late-19th-century civic architecture. It was inaugurated in 1876, at a time when the city was expanding beyond its historic core. For most of its history, La Malagueta’s primary function was hosting bullfights. However, in January 2020, the building entered a new phase, when its former stables and storage rooms were transformed into climate-controlled indoor spaces, allowing for a wider range of exhibitions and conferences. This transformation also marked the official change of name from “La Malagueta Bullring” to “La Malagueta Cultural Center.”

Designed by architect Joaquín Rucoba, the structure reflects the Neo-Mudéjar style then in vogue, combining brick construction with horseshoe arches and restrained decorative details that give the exterior a strong rhythmic character.

The building is organised around a large, almost circular arena enclosed by tiered seating and a continuous arcade. Conceived as a permanent civic venue, it quickly became an established stage for public events. During the bullfighting season, La Malagueta still hosts major corridas, including two events during Holy Week. One of these, the Corrida Picassiana, pays tribute to Pablo Picasso, who developed a lifelong fascination with bullfighting after attending events here as a child, often accompanied by his father.

This early exposure left a lasting mark on Picasso’s work. The contest between man and bull appears repeatedly in his sketches and paintings. In a 1925 portrait of his son Paul, the child is shown dressed as a bullfighter, red cape in hand, with the subtle outline of a bullring visible in the background.

Today, La Malagueta also houses the Antonio Ordóñez Bullfighting Museum, whose entrance is located at Gate 8 on the southeast façade of the arena. The museum’s highlights include a collection of “suits of lights,” historical posters, and bullfighting artefacts. Among them, the suit worn by Málaga-born bullfighter Javier Conde—designed by French fashion designer Christian Lacroix— stands out as the most striking. Visitors pass through Rooms A, B, and C before reaching Room D, where Conde’s suit forms the central display.

Beyond corridas, the arena is also used for concerts and other cultural events.

Behind the Bullring of Malagueta, on Paseo de Reding, on the left side, there are two notable buildings, called Casas de Felix Saenz. These blocks of flats are named in memory of Felix Saenz, a major homeowner, who commissioned their construction in 1922. Intended for rental, these properties still serve in this capacity today.

The houses were designed by the architect Fernando Guerrero Strachan, and consist of three floors, plus basement and attic towers. The facades are articulated in recesses and projections, causing flown pavilions, terraces, balconies and glazing windows of different heights. This provides a wealth of color, accentuated in the early hours of morning and the afternoon.

The overall style is the so-called “Regionalist” of the Malaga-Este District, with the external decoration comprising Neo-Mudejar and Neo-Renaissance elements, characteristic of the 1920s. The obscure Regionalism can be characterized as post-modern and has retained the elegance of the "Belle Époque" architectural forms, although stricter and without curved lines. Instead, multi-capacity, niches and balconies with tiled awnings are widely used. These elements, quite typical of Andalusian individual homes, are the hallmark of local Regionalism.

The old Palacio de la Tinta (Ink Palace) is a French-influenced edifice, located on Paseo de Reding, next to the Edificio de viviendas "Desfile del Amor" residential building, which is in the La Malagueta neighborhood of the Centro district.

The 10.500 square meters palace was constructed in 1908 in the Parisian style - fin de siecle, and was designed by architect Julio O'Brien, who also equipped it with three courtyards, stables and elevator floors.

The building stands on a plinth of stone and has three facades: the main one overlooking Paseo de Reding in front of the Felix Saenz houses. The architect used classical elements, such as the Corinthian columns, the standing out stipes or struts, to create a historicism close to modernism, which is very unique in Malaga. The heritage value of this property is also enriched by other elements, such as the steeply sloping slate roof or the French-influenced dormers.

Originally, the building housed the headquarters of the Andalusian Railway Company, but now is the seat of the Andalusian Water Agency. The property owes its name to the former tenant, under whose occupancy the large quantities of ink had to be moved around the building daily in order to issue railway tickets by hand.

Gibralfaro Castle rises above Málaga on a hill that reaches about 131 metres in height, overlooking the city, the port, and the Mediterranean Sea. Built in the mid-14th century during the Nasrid period, the fortress was intended to reinforce the defence of the Alcazaba below and to control both land and sea approaches. The site held strategic importance long before the castle itself: the Moors erected the fortress near an earlier lighthouse constructed by the Phoenicians. Its name reflects this layered history, combining the Arabic word gabel, meaning “rock,” with the Greek word faro, meaning “lighthouse.” Today, the castle’s silhouette is so closely tied to the city that it appears on the official seal and flag of Málaga.

The fortress played a decisive role during the Reconquest. In 1487, the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella laid siege to Gibralfaro for three months. The stronghold resisted until hunger forced the Moorish garrison to surrender. Notably, this siege marked the first time that both attacking and defending armies made use of gunpowder, signalling a turning point in warfare. After the conquest, the castle remained under Christian control, although its military importance gradually declined.

Gibralfaro Castle offers insight into both military life and daily survival within a fortress. After passing through the main gate, you encounter the former gunpowder magazine immediately to your left. Today, it houses a small military museum displaying uniforms, weapons, and a detailed model of the city during the Islamic period. Exiting the museum and continuing straight ahead brings you to the Upper Courtyard. One of its key features is the Airon Well, carved roughly 40 metres into solid rock during the Phoenician era. The well is easy to identify by its small, rounded fountain head rising about one metre above the ground. Nearby stands the Main Tower, approximately 17 metres tall, which can be accessed from the southeastern part of the courtyard.

Arguably, the castle’s greatest attraction is its ramparts. Visitors can climb onto them and walk the full perimeter of the battlements. Although staircases throughout the complex provide access to the walls, the most effective route begins at the top of the Main Tower. From there, walking clockwise along the walls ensures that no viewpoints are missed. The panoramic views take in the Port of Málaga, the Alcazaba below, and Málaga Cathedral, offering one of the most comprehensive outlooks in the city.