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El Borge AREA: 25,70 km² ALTITUDE ABOVE SEA LEVEL: 237 metres AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFALL: 580 l/m² AVERAGE ANNUAL TEMPERATURE: 16’6 ºC POPULATION, CENSUS 1994: 1,071  
El Borge is situated at 237 metres above sea level at the foot of Cerro Cútar (595 m.) and next to the Cútar river. Its territory borders with the Montes de Malaga and the Axarquía regions, in a common landscape of ravinous hills and sometimes smooth and covered in vines and olives. The abundance of vines, sometimes give way to frequent "paseros" (places where raisins are laid out to dry), which are a very characteristic element of the Axarquía. There, where the relief is smoother there are cereal cultivations, and then becomes irrigated citrus, fruits and vegetables in the valley plots. Little is known of El Borge’s history, although it seems that the actual town’s origins are with the Arabs judging by names etymology - Al-Borg. What is known, through the chronicles from that time and after the Christian conquest, it was a town that strongly resisted the conquerors impositions. Therefore, when the Moorish uprising occured, it was distinguished as a focus of rebellion, even reaching the point that some of the inhabitants supported the neighbouring town’s rebellions and helping in the escape to the Granada Alpujarras. This situation lasted until the mayor of Vélez, Alvaro de Zuazo, took El Borge. The Moorish expulsion caused the abandonment of the town and its subsequent repopulation by people from the interior. In the 19th century, Luis Muñoz García was born here, a famous bandit known as El Bizco (cross-eyed) de El Borge.
It is worth walking around the streets of this steep town, situated between the neighbouring Montes de Málaga and the Axarquía. The most important monument is the church of Our Lady of the Rosary, built at the beginning of the 16th century over a mosque. The master builders who erected it, personally adapted it to a Gothic Renaissance style which constitutes one of the most interesting examples in the region as far as religious architecture goes. The presbytery, in the main nave, out of three, is covered in Mudejar armour, while other elements, such as the octagonal based niches are baroque, as is the exterior double-bodied octagonal tower, crowned with glass ceramic.
The handicraft is of little relevance, therefore the visitor is left with the option of buying raisins, as it’s not in vain that the town has the title of "the raisin capital". The homemade wine is another local product that can be acquired.
The most typical gastronomy in El Burgo is the 'ajoblano de almendras' cold soup with almonds, and 'gazpacho' cold summer soup, as well as the 'hornazo' buns with an egg inside on San Marcos day. Raisins and muscatel wine complete this brief culinary offer.
The patron saint's festivities take place at the end of Easter (Saturday, Sunday and Easter Monday) in honour of Saint Gabriel the Archangel. On the 25th of April is Saint Mark; on the 15th of May is the pilgrimage of Saint Isidore, the Corpus Christi and at the beginning of September are the candles in the country houses.
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HISTORY AND LANDSCAPE
Places to Visit
Shopping
Gastronomy
FESTIVITIES AND TRADITIONS