Marbella was created as a city by Muslims, and they gave the city its overall structure and architecture. Before the Muslims, there were several villages and cultures within the area of Marbella. The ruins can still be visited today.
In the old part of city, you can still find the influence of the Romans.
In 1711, the leader of the Muslims, Al-Tarik, came to Spain crossing the area that today is called Tarifa. Marbella was the perfect location for Arabs, because of its proximity to Tarifa. Their main monument is the castle, la Alcazaba. It was built for the military.
The Alcazaba was rebuilt by the nazaries, creating a wall around the city. This wall divides the old city from the new. The boarders of the wall are found in the streets of Peral and Portada on the north, Huerta Chica on the west, Fortaleza and Muro on the South, and Arroyo de la Represa on the west.
In 1485 the Muslims gave the key of the city to Reyes Católicos (Catholic King and Queen). They gave to Marbella city the title of “Muy noble” and “Muy Leal” (Very Noble and Very Loyal).
In this time, the city focused there attention on the reinforcing of the main wall, the castle and the towers.
They also heavily supported the religious institutions, allowing them to build Ermita de Santiago, Convento de la Trinidad, Hospital de San Juan de Dios, and Iglesia del Santo Cristo, and finally Hospital de Bazán.
Marbella was defended by the wall surrounding the city centre:
in the north, the Castle, with the fortress and the three towers (Santa Catalina with a draw bridge, Chorrón and Cubo); in the south, the Vela Tower; in the east, the tower called Nueva, and in the west, the Fixo Tower.
You could go in or out of the city by three doors: in the Northeast, by the Ronda Door (today, Puente de Ronda Square), named this way, because it is the beginning of the road to Ronda, and nowadays, Ancha Street.
In the South, Puerta del Mar Door (is situated, approximately, in the Square Jose Palomo in these days), and in the East, Málaga Door (Puente de Málaga Square, today), the beginning of the way to Málaga.
The XVI Century was the more dynamic period of the growth, of the city urbanization. The most important work of this period was La Plaza de los Naranjos and Nueva Street, that join the square with Puerta del Mar.
Inside the city wall, there were four areas: in the centre, the old Medina, and around this, Mar de Pedraza Door and Castillo Door. This city design is, more or less, the actual one; 44 narrow streets, 4 little squares and one square.
The streets are named after conquerors:
Mendoza, Buitrago; important natives: Alderete; and other names that reflect the religious times:
Remedios, Virgen de los Dolores, Cruz, Trinidad, Caridad, Misericordia, Soledad, or simple names like Pasaje, Panadería, Nueva, Álamo, Viento, Apartada, Muro, Pelleja, de los Caballeros(in this last one, where the mansions are).
During XVII century, the city expanded beyond the walls to the North by Ancha Street. A century later, the city grew to the East; Barrio Nuevo (know as El Barrio) developed around the old Camino de Málaga, where it is Cruz de Humilladero. Under this, Fernando el Católico thanked God for the conquest of Marbella, in the 11th of June of 1485.
