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Cartajima AREA: 21’80 km²
ALTITUDE ABOVE SEA LEVEL: 846 metres AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFALL: 1288 l/m²
Cartajima rises like a watchtower at 846 metres altitude, in the Cartajima cliffs, over the Upper Genal in the Ronda highlands. Its lands offer a landscape of strong contrasts between the white bare limestone of the Oreganal sierra to the north and the chestnut and oak covered mountains to the south. The town as well as the road which runs through the hillside of the Oreganal sierra, allows one to enjoy beautiful panoramas of the highland and especially of the Genal valley. News of the origins of Cartajima are scarce, but according to the testimony of Diego Amaya, one of the town’s elders, when they were laying a foundation in Las Peñuelas, human remains appeared and beside them, where the head rested, some coins. This event is written in the town’s chronicles by an unknown author, and the finding is interpreted as possibly being a burial from the Phoenician-Hellenic period. Apart from this news and any other legend such as the rich Moorish woman, there are no other facts to recompose Cartajima’s history. A history, which could have been closely tied to the presence of Arabs in these lands and to the vicissitudes which ran their course through all the towns in the area during the Reconquest, the expulsion of the Moors and the Christian repopulation. During the War of Independence, Cartajima was distinguished in the fights against Napoleon’s troops, especially the warrior Andrés García, who among his achievements tells of the attempt against the governor of Ronda, who died as he was walking with his escort next to the Tajo. In 1814 Cartajima was named a village by Fernando VII and knew an epoch of great economic flourishment all along the 19th century, thanks to the cultivation of vines and the exploit of iron sites in the municipality, which gave origins to a small factory specialized in the production of canons. This situation of splendour earned the denomination of "Cádiz Chico" (little Cádiz).
A small town in the Ronda highland in which its town centre occupies a hill of 846 metres altitude in a rugged medium. The only monument is the parish church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario, built at the beginning of the 16th century but which suffered numerous transformations in the following centuries and in 1941. Once it must have consisted of three naves, of which only the main nave is conserved today, part of the Gospel and the baptismal chapel on the side of the epistle. The entrance is through a simple baroque doorway which is reached by a staircase. Inside the temple there are various sculptures from the 17th and 18th century, such as the image of the Virgen del Rosario which is placed in the central niche. Places of interest outside the village, are the medieval castle and half a dozen archaeological sites, such as the Cañada de Harife (Roman baths), the Cortijo del Ratón (Roman necropolis), and two uninhabited places of the medieval epoch, Cartamón and Casapalma. There are also a series of interesting places in the municipality, such as the many caves - Abrigo de la Hurta, Carrión, Charcón Bajo, Miguela, Ronda, Hora, Umbría, Jora, Pedro Benítez, Redil - and other places which outstand for their scenic value, or showiness, such as Los Riscos enclaves and the chasms of Canailla Lobo and Cepo. Other chasms are the Hurta and the Veleño.
Two dishes which can be eaten all the year around are stewed rabbit, and stew in their diverse gastronomic aspects. In the winter the authoctonous culinary creations are soups and fried mushrooms, as well as the popular breadcrumbs fried with garlic. Given the fact that they cultivate the vine, there is also a good mosto (unfermented grape juice) all year round, and to complete the menu there are "tostaeras" roasted chestnuts from Genal in the autumn.
The patron saint's festivities take place in mid August, in honour of the Virgen del Rosario. But Easter also has a special significance, especially Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday, which is when a ceremony takes place called "Las Cortesías".
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HISTORY AND LANDSCAPE
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