MALAGA

port city and capital of Mlaga provincia, in the comunidad autnoma (autonomous community) of Andalusia, southern Spain. It lies along a wide bay of the Mediterranean Sea at the mouth of the Guadalmedina River in the centre of the Costa del Sol. It was founded by the Phoenicians in the 12th century BC, conquered successively by the Romans and the Visigoths, and taken by the Moors in 711. Under Moorish rule it became one of the most important cities in Andalusia. When the caliphate of Crdoba disintegrated, the kingdom of Mlaga was founded, ruled over by emirs who named it terrestrial paradise. After several unsuccessful attempts, the Christians took the city on Aug. 19, 1487. The Guadalmedina River, which before the construction of the dam at Agujero caused frequent severe flooding, flows through Mlaga from north to south, while above the city towers Mount Gibralfaro (558 feet ), crowned by an ancient Arab fortress. The cathedral, in the centre of the old city, was begun in 1528 on the site of a mosque; the interior, main facade, and one of the towers were completed in 1782, but the second tower remains unfinished. Other important churches are those of Santo Cristo de la Salud, Sagrario, and Victoria, the latter being notable for the macabre decorations on the tomb of the counts of Luna. The Provincial Museum of Art has a collection of 17th-century masterpieces, as well as modern works, including some by Pablo Picasso, who was born in the city at No. 16, Plaza de la Merced. The Moorish castle, the Alcazaba, has been reconstructed as a museum and garden, but the Gibralfaro fortress remains in its original form. Mlaga is the foremost Spanish Mediterranean port after Barcelona. The port's main exports are iron ore, dried fruit, almonds, olive oil, oranges, lemons, olives, canned anchovies, and the famous Mlaga sweet wine; principal imports are petroleum, corn (maize), chemicals, iron and steel. Mlaga's industries include the manufacture of building materials and foodstuffs; there are also breweries, fertilizer plants, textile mills, and pipes carrying crude oil from the port to the refinery at Puertollano. Sheltered by the surrounding sierras, Mlaga's mild climate makes it a popular resort. Nearby are a number of narrow beaches; some, such as Marbella and Fuengirola, have pine woods reaching to the seashore. Pop. (1982 est.) 453,176. sweet, usually red, fortified wine that originated in the southern Spanish Mediterranean coastal province from which it takes its name. The term may also be applied generically to any of a variety of heavy, sweet red wines, including certain kosher wines served at Jewish celebrations. The best Spanish Mlaga is made from muscat grapes and from the variety known as Pedro-Ximnez, the latter usually sun-dried to concentrate sweetness. provincia, in the comunidad autnoma (autonomous community) of Andalusia, southern Spain, on the Mediterranean coast. It has an area of 2,809 square miles (7,276 square km). Its northern half belongs to the Andalusian plain, while its southern half is mountainous and rises steeply from the coast, along which there is a narrow strip of lowland. The Sierra de Alhama separates Mlaga from Granada (east); and not far from the Cdiz (western) boundary the sierras of Ronda, Mijas, Tolox, and Bermeja converge to form a summit of nearly 6,500 feet (1,980 m). The principal rivers in Mlaga are the Guadalhorce and the Guadiaro. The province is largely agricultural, and fruits, vegetables, olives, and grapes are grown along the coastal lowlands and in the rich interior valleys. There are considerable mineral resources in the mountains, chiefly iron and lead. Salt is mined in the north. The warm, sunny climate of the coast (part of the Costa del Sol) has made the area popular with tourists, especially around Torremolinos and Mlaga (q.v.) city, the provincial capital. Other attractions include the Menga, Viera, Nerja, and El Romeral caves, with their prehistoric paintings and relics, and a national hunting region in the Serrana de Ronda, north of Marbella. Besides Mlaga, the most important cities in the province are Ronda and Antequera. The University of Mlaga was established at El Ejido in 1972. Pop. (1988 est.) 1,184,262.