Torremolinos

History

Archaeological finds including human bones, tools, and pottery prove that the Torremolinos area was settled as early as the Neolithic Age. Some remnants are neanderthalians and dated 150,000 years old by radiocarbon dating.

According to the Egyptian Greek geographer Ptolemy, the Phoenicians had founded here a colony named Saduce, but the Romans are the most likely to have founded the current town, as shown by findings of edifices and a necropolis (from whose size it has been deduced that the settlement had around 2,000 inhabitants). They also built the road joining Cadiz with Málaga, passing through Torremolinos.

With the Moorish conquest of Spain, were introduced the mills from which the town takes its name (meaning "Tower of the Mills"). However, at the time the population was reduced; the tower was built by the Nasrid rulers of Granada starting from 1300. After the fall of Granada, the town remained subject to North African pirate attacks which lasted from the 18th century; during the War of Spanish Succession, the town was attacked by an Anglo-Dutch flotilla under the British admiral George Rooke and almost entirely destroyed. A document dated 1769 lists a town population of 106.

The mills and the city were rebuilt in the early 20th century, but the mill industry started to decline in the 1920s. It was largely replaced by an increasing tourist interest from 1928, particularly British visitors. Hotel Pez Espada opened in 1960. The first gay bar in Spain, Toni's Bar, was founded in Torremolinos in 1962. The Spanish regime reacted to the free lifestyle of the city with arrests of homosexuals and other repressions during the 1970s.

Torremolinos first appeared on the map of the Ensenada’s Marques in 1748. The name comes from the words Torre (Tower) and Molino (Mill). Water mills covered all this area of which only one survives (Molino de Inca) and one tower which forms part of a restaurant. Historians believe that moulded stones discovered at beaches and mountains in Torremolinos indicate the existence of the village 150000 years ago. Further evidence of its pre-history are nine skulls, some bones, clay pots, axe heads and arrows, ornaments of necklaces and bracelets, a ring and some animal bones discovered in the excavations of the caves: cueva del Tesoro (treasure cave), cueva tapada (cover cave), cueva del encanto (charm cave), cueva del tejón (badger cave). The study of these items places them at the Neolithic in the Quaternary period, around 5.000 years before Christ at the period when man learned to cultivate, the land. It is estimated that the skeletons found at the caves and at the cape of Torremolinos were 1.5 or 1.6 meters tall (4’9 ft. or 5’2 ft.).

Pre-Roman

According to Ptolemy, Phoenicians built the city of Saduce next to Torremolinos. The Romans constructed a road to connect Gades (Cádiz) with Malaca (Málaga). In the 1990s a Roman necropolis was discovered with 23 graves at the "San Luis build" at Cantabria’s square, which confirm the existence of village with 2000 years old.

Middle Ages

Around 1300, the Muslim dynasty of the "Nazríes", which governed Málaga between the 13th and 15th centuries, built the defensive tower that can be seen at the end of San Miguel Street. The tower is 12 meters (39’37 ft.) tall and was built with earth. It is composed of two floors and watch windows to the sea and a terrace.

Before French revolution

After the Christian conquered the kingdom of Granada, Torremolinos was attacked by pirates until the 18th century.

During the War of Spanish succession, an Anglo-Dutch fleet, commanded by the British Admiral George Rooke, looted and burned the houses and mills and destroyed all of Torremolinos. A census of 1769 shows a population of 106 people.

Modern age

During the first half of the 19th century the town was rebuilt and by 1849 there were 14 mills, a fuller mill Kraft paper and 785 inhabitants. With the demise of the mill, Torremolinos became a small fishing village until the end of the 1950s when it became one of the first tourist centre in Costa del Sol. In the 1950s many celebrities visited Torremolinos such as Grace Kelly, Ava Gardner, Marlon Brando, Orson Welles and Frank Sinatra.

In 1959 Pez Espada hotel was opened, the first luxury hotel along the coast. In the following years, new hotels, nightclubs and others tourist establishments changed the face of the town and its beaches. By the year 1965, Torremolinos had become consolidated as a major tourist destination.

Málaga Airport is 10 minutes away by the Renfe train which runs about every 20 minutes and costs less than 2 euro. It is the 4th busiest airport in Spain carrying nearly 14 million passengers annually. However, there is a lack of public transport to and from the airport before 6am in the morning and past midnight. A taxi costs approximately 18 euros.

Gastronomy

In Torremolinos you can find their famous Chiringuitos (restaurants on the beach) from the Carihuela, Bajondillo, Playamar, Costa Lago. At these bars you can eat fresh fish and seafood typical of the area; some of their people were traditionally fishermen.

By 2012 McDonald's in the heart of Torremolinos had closed its doors, following KFC and Pizza Hut not least because of competition from native companies such as Telepizza and Matahambre. Only Burger King remains.

Following the 2016 pedestrianisation of Plaza Costa del Sol, McDonald's, along with several other companies, have decided to reopen with the benefit a large terraces.

Shopping

In 2014, Poundland opened its first store in Spain in the centre of the town under the name Dealz. It sells items for €1.50 and carries almost exactly the same product line as in the UK.

The Chinese have many stores and warehouses in the area selling almost everything imaginable at very low prices. This has put many traditional shops such as ironmongers and gift shops, out of business.

Torremolinos has some very early shopping centres, most of which are sparsely populated. The main tourists shops are on San Miquel and the stairs down to the beach.

A Carrefour hypermarket is located in a recently built shopping mall on the A340 towards Benalmadena.

Around town the principle supermarkets are Mercadona, Supersol, Aldi, Lidl and Dia.

In 2016, approval was finally given for a massive shopping and leisure complex to be built by the same company, Intu, that developed the Trafford Centre in Manchester on land next to Aquapark and the A7 motorway and primary ring roads. Costing in excess of 500 million euros, it will be the largest development of its type in the Mediterranean, incorporating a wave pool, indoor skiing, and electric go-karting. All major Spanish retailers will be present such as El Corte Ingles, Zara and Mango. Construction work will begin after the Summer of 2016.

Leisure

The Stadium "Ciudad de Torremolinos" eight-lane Mondo Sportrack athletics track, forms part of the Sport Village of Torremolinos and is located on the edge of the town. This complex was built in 1997 and has since been refurbished within the last year. Facilities also include a sports hall and an adjacent gymnasium with weight training equipment: free weights and machines. The infield is used for football so no hammer throwing is permitted but discus, javelin are allowed in the afternoon.

There are 2 long jump/triple jump runways and 2 pole vault runways.

The throwing areas include Discus, Javelin and Shot.

The new solar and gas heated outdoor Olympic pool and diving pool which are open all year around, were built in May 2011 and form part of the wet complex that hosts 2 indoor swimming pools, one with a wheelchair ramp and body lift to assist disabled swimmers. Swimmers can also use the steam room and a 30-man jacuzzi. There is a specialised water jet therapy pool. It is possible to use flippers and goggles in the full size pools.

Pool 1 Outdoor, 50 metres x 8 lanes, 21.5 metres (2 metres deep) Pool 2 Indoor, 50 metres x 8 lanes, 21.5 metres (2 metres deep) Pool 3 Outdoor, fully equipped diving pool 25 metres x 12.5 metres Pool 4 Indoor 21 metres x 6 lanes (1 metre deep )

All these facilities are controlled by the Municipal Council.

In popular culture

Famous residents