Melilla, sun and joy

Travel to city ​​of Melilla It represents a journey in time, since its foundation was due to the Phoenicians in the 7th century BC, who gave it the name Rusaddir. After them, the Carthaginians and Romans passed through the area, until, in 1497, the Spanish arrived.

Regarding the origin of its name, there are several possible etymologies. But the most accepted is the one that derives from mritch, which comes from Berber tamlilt, Meaning "the White" and that would refer to the limestone of that color on which the town sits. In any case, the city of Melilla is very beautiful and offers you more of a surprise. Below, we will talk to you about all this.

Exact location and how to get there

As you know, Melilla is a part of Spain located to the northwest of the african continent. Specifically, it is located in the northernmost part of the Rif region, occupying about twelve kilometers of the cape Tres Forcas and bathed by Alboran Sea. Likewise, it is located at the foot of the Mount Gurugu and at the mouth of the River of gold.

You can get to the city both by sea and by air. As for the latter, you have flights from Madrid y Málaga Everyday of the year. The latter is the cheapest option, but you can also fly from Sevilla, Almería y Grenada. Likewise, in summer other lines are added from, for example, Barcelona o Palma de Mallorca.

For its part, the maritime route is carried out through ferry. In your case, the cities of origin are, likewise, Málaga y Almería, to which is added Motril. The shortest route is the one that leaves from Almería and, as for prices, they are around sixty euros (one hundred and twenty round trip) for non-residents. However, the Melilla Tourist Board usually offers discount bonuses that will allow you to save money.

On the other hand, to get around the city, you can do it on foot. Remember that it only has about twelve square kilometers in area. However, you can also use a bicycle or, if you want more convenience, public transport, which includes city buses and taxis.

Architecture of the city of Melilla

Once we have explained how to get to the town and how to get around it, we want to show you the main monuments that you will find in it. Her heritage spans from the 16th century to the present and, as could not be otherwise, has an important element of military character. Its strategic location demanded it.

But the city also stands out for its wonderful modernist architecture and its museums. All of this has earned him the distinction of Historic Artistic Set. Let's get to know her better.

Old Melilla

With this name the fortified citadel of the town, which measures about two thousand meters, which makes it one of the largest in Spain. It was built between the 16th and 19th centuries, so it combines features of different architectural styles. These range from the Renaissance even his own Flemish bastions.

Likewise, they are distinguished in Melilla la Vieja four fortified enclosures which overlapped as the city grew. The first includes elements such as the towers of Bonete (on which the lighthouse is located), Los Bolaños or Las Cabras. But also barracks such as those of Santa Ana or La Maestranza, as well as batteries, among which those of San Felipe and bastions such as those of La Concepción stand out.

For their part, the second and third fortifications are made up of the oldest areas of the city. Among its elements, the Hornabeque moat, the Plaza de Armas, the bastions of San José and San Pedro or gates like Victoria and barracks like San Fernando. Finally, the fourth enclosure stands out for its large forts. Among them, those of the Victories, the Rosary, San Carlos and San Miguel.

But Old Melilla also has religious buildings. Among them, stands out the Royal and Pontifical Church of the Immaculate Conception, which houses the image of Our Lady of Victory, Patron saint of the city. It was built in the mid-16th century following the canons of the Renaissance style.

Even more curious is the chapel of SantiagoWell, although it dates from the same period, it is Gothic and is considered the only one of this current that exists in all of Continental Africa. For its part, to the Chapel of the Enramada, also from the same period, the Vela tower, popularly known as Clock House.

Anyway, other constructions of the citadel that you should know are the Military Government buildings, classicist style; he Peñuelas warehouse, which we will return to when we talk to you about the city's museums, and the hospitals of the Botica de San Francisco and del Rey.

Other forts of the city

But Melilla also has a exterior fort system more modern to protect it. Unlike those already mentioned, united by the wall, these do not have communication between them. If you visit them, the first thing that will catch your attention is its architectural beauty. In fact, they do not look like defensive constructions, but rather monumental ones, with curious shapes like neomedieval and painted in bright colors.

Among them, we will mention the forts of Purísima Concepción, Rostrogordo or San Francisco, but, above all, we will focus on three. The one from Cabrerizas Altas It was built at the end of the 19th century and is large in size. It belongs to the same period the one with camels, which will surprise you with its round plant. Finally, that of the Queen Regent It is even more curious, since it has the shape of a dodecagon.

The modernist expansion of the city of Melilla

You probably don't know that Melilla is, after Barcelona, the Spanish city with the most modernist constructions. Its buildings of this type number in the hundreds, so we can only mention a few of them. But first we will tell you that the expansion is also classified as A Cultural and that is due, above all, to three architects: Enrique Nieto, Emilio Alzugaray y Tomas Moreno.

Art deco features have the Palace of the Assembly and Monumental Cinema Sport. Instead, the Red House It stands out for its slenderness and its gallon dome, while that of the Crystals It is reminiscent of the typical architecture of the north of the Iberian Peninsula due to its large surface of windows. For his part, the Military Casino It is inspired by classicism; the old writing of The Rif Telegram It is an eclectic gem and the house of David J. Melul It is the pinnacle of floral modernism in the city.

Finally, the Military Commissary It stands out for its cheerful colors; the old warehouses La Reconquista They are also a marvel of the aforementioned floral modernism and the house of Miguel Gómez Morales It attracts attention due to the asymmetrical nature of its facades.

Museums of Melilla

We have already mentioned the important museum complex that the city of Melilla has. Some of these institutions are the result of the extensive history it has behind it, while others are the result of its military importance. But there are also artistic, ethnographic and even more curious ones, such as, for example, the Automobile. Let's get to know some of them.

Museum of Archeology and History

You will find it in the Peñuelas warehouse, which we have already mentioned when talking about Melilla la Vieja. It was due to the work of Rafael Fernandez de Castro, who compiled all the pieces obtained in the excavations of Cerro de San Lorenzo. Fundamentally, it has two sections. The proper archaeological It has ceramics from El Zafrín, Carthaginian coins, a Muslim treasure and numerous plans.

For its part, the other section is the so-called Ethnographic Museum of Sephardic, Berber and Gypsy cultures. It includes a reproduction of the Or Zaruah synagogue, a neo-Arabic building located in the expansion, and a collection of Berber jewelry.

Military Historical Museum of the city of Melilla

You will also find it in Melilla la Vieja, specifically, in the bastion of Concepción Alta. It has pieces brought from the Army Museum among which dioramas, uniforms and weapons stand out. But, above all, its cannons, mortars, a saddle of Elizabeth II and a Enigma machine, which was used by the Germans to encrypt their communications during World War II.

Andrés García Ibáñez Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

Once again, it is in the first fortification of Melilla la Vieja, in its case, it is located in the Vela tower. As his name indicates, the bulk of his pieces belong to the collection of the Andalusian artist. Andrés García, who donated it to the city.

It houses works dated between the 18th and 20th centuries and has paintings, photographs and sculptures. Among the latter, there are creations of Antonio Reyna, Juan Lopez y Felix Alonso. Regarding the former, there are tables of Victorio Manchón, Vicente Maeso, Eduardo Morillas o Francisco Hernández.

Other museums in the city of Melilla

You will be more curious Automobile Museum, which is due to the collector Miguel Angel Hernandez, who had the help of the historian Juan Diego Sánchez and other experts. It has very curious models manufactured from the 1920s to the 1980s, among which an old bus stands out.

They complete the city's museum heritage that of Popular Arts and Customs of Melilla, that of Sacred Art o the Gaselec of Electricity and Industry, which has elements that belonged to the old Hispano-Moroccan Company.

Beaches and parks of Melilla

We cannot leave the city without telling you about its beautiful beaches, some with the distinctive Blue flag granted by the European Union. They make up a total of two kilometers of sandy areas and stand out those of Aguadú, the Alcazaba, San Lorenzo or the Cábabos. However, the most extensive are those of the Hippodrome and the Equestrian that you will find in the heart of the city.

As for the parks, the oldest is the Hernandez, which is also considered a historical park. It's also very pretty Lobera's, which has temples, ponds with artificial waterfalls and sculptures. Finally, you have that of Agustín Jerez and, already on the outskirts, the Juan Carlos I Rey forest park.

In conclusion, we have shown you the most beautiful thing about city ​​of Melilla, as well as the way to get to it. As happens with Ceuta, the other Spanish town in Africa, perhaps it is a great unknown for us peninsulars, who travel little to it. Go ahead and do it.