In my previous entry, I described the beautiful 18th-century New Bridge of Ronda and the walled area surrounding the water mills beneath it, highlighting their significance to the city. This time, I’ll be giving you a quick look at Ronda’s city walls themselves.
Despite its small size, Ronda was a strategically important town because it was a very strong fortress, controlling all traffic between the surrounding plains. These plains were fertile, with plenty of grazing land and good for growing crops. Because it was so difficult to conquer, Ronda remained under Muslim rule longer than most cities in the Iberian Peninsula.
This fortress was incredibly difficult to attack. Just looking at it, you can see why – those walls are nearly impossible to climb! There’s nowhere to even place a ladder. Even today, getting around the city is challenging for someone in good shape, so imagine how tough it would be for a weak, heavily-equipped soldier.
When cannons became common in European warfare, the siege of Ronda quickly led to the town’s surrender to King Ferdinand III after just five days. This was largely due to the relentless cannon fire from the Castilian army. They attacked from multiple locations, using cannons, culverins, and trebuchets. After cannons breached a section of the wall, soldiers rushed in and secured a foothold, moving the cannons inside to target the Alcazar’s inner defenses. They also cut off the city’s water supply and set parts of it ablaze. Faced with these conditions, the townspeople surrendered, and Ferdinand III agreed to spare them.
My wife and I recently met a delightful American couple while walking along the city walls. They were celebrating their retirement, and we helped them navigate the steep steps. This led to a fascinating conversation about the walls’ history – built in the early medieval period – and why the steps are so tall (a cost-saving measure that also makes climbing difficult). The gentleman seemed genuinely surprised. We then discussed how differently Americans and Europeans view historical timeframes. I mentioned the Ronda Bridge felt like recent history to me, but it actually began construction 24 years before the American Revolution! The walls themselves are a millennium older than American independence, which is truly remarkable. It really makes you think about the vastness of history when you consider those kinds of differences.
Anyway, it was a very nice chat, with some lovely folk.
Here are a few more photos from my trip to Ronda. They include shots of a tower—both the exterior and interior—a walkway, and a view looking down from one of the city gates, giving you an idea of what it was like to be up there.
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2025-10-09 14:43