Puerta del Almocabar (Almocabar Gate), Ronda

On the 20th of May, 1485, Fernando the Catholic, the King of Aragon and his soldiers entered the city of Ronda through its massive walls via the Gate of Almocabar. The 13th-century gate takes its name from the Arab, "al-macabre," meaning "the cemetery." There was a Muslim cemetery just outside the city walls.

The Almocabar Gate was the main access to the town through the south wall. The Castilian procession entered the first walled enclosure of the Islamic Ronda called "Arrabal Alto," today known as the Barrio of the Holy Spirit. The entrance gate of three recessed Gothic arches lies between two semicircular towers of cemented stones.

The other gate to the city was Charles V Gate, built in the 16th century in the Renaissance style. During Napoleon's occupation of Spain in 1808, the walls of Ronda and the Almocabar were left in ruins. The Almocabar was not restored until the 1960s.

Behind the Almocabar Gate is the Church of the Holy Spirit. The church was built on top of a mosque and dedicated to the day the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, took the city. There are plenty of restaurants and bars in the area, and a children's park. Get there well before 2 pm on holidays to find a good spot.