Velez-Malaga

VÃ©lez-MÃ¡laga is a municipality and the capital of the AxarquÃa district in the province of MÃ¡laga, in the Spanish autonomous community of AndalucÃa. Locally it is referred to as VÃ©lez. The municipality forms part of the Costa del Sol region.

City and municipality

VÃ©lez-Malaga itself is a market city, 4 km inland from Torre del Mar but unlike the coastal resort not dominated by the tourist industry. Notable sites include the remains of the castle on the hill above the town, the churches of Santa MarÃa la Mayor, Nuestra SeÃ±ora de la EncarnaciÃ³n, and San Juan Bautista, and the sixteenth century Palacio del MarquÃ©s de Beniel.

The municipality includes a significant area of the surrounding countryside and other settlements, including Torre del Mar itself. The area of the entire municipality is 156.36 kmÂ², and its population at the 2002 census was 57,458; 28,462 males and 28,995 females.

Geography

The municipalitys boundaries include some 25km of coastline. The VÃ©lez River is the significant watercourse.

Location and communication

Neighbouring municipalities are:

to the north La ViÃ±uela and Canillas de Aceituno

to the northeast, Sedella and Arenas

to the east, Algarrobo

to the south, the Mediterranean Sea

to the west, RincÃ³n de la Victoria and Macharaviaya, Benamocarra e Iznate

to the northwest, AlmÃ¡char and Benamargosa.

The city also includes an enclave, Lagos, which is bordered to the north by Sayalonga, to the east by Torrox, to the south by the Mediterranean, and to the west by Algarrobo.

VÃ©lez-MÃ¡laga has an airport, (AxarquÃa airport), and a fishing port. The AutovÃa del MediterrÃ¡neo crosses through the middle of its territory, with a junction to the carretera nacional (national highway) 340.

Districts

Almayate, Benajarafe, Cajiz, Caleta de VÃ©lez, Chilches, El CapitÃ¡n, Lagos, Los Puertas, Los Pepones, Mezquitilla, Trapiche, Triana, Torre del Mar y Valle-Niza.

Urban districts

Barrio del Pilar, La Villa, Pueblo Nuevo de la AxarquÃa "Carabanchel", La Gloria , Capuchinos ,Barrio Barcelona ,Carretera de Arenas, Camino de Algarrobo, Camino viejo de MÃ¡laga , San Francisco.

Culture

The most important event of the year is the Royal San Miguel festival, held at the end of September and the beginning of October each year. Other festivals celebrated include the Veladilla el Carmen, Santiago (St James) and Santa Ana. There is also a Holy Week procession, one of the most notable in AndalucÃa.

VÃ©lez-MÃ¡laga is one of the last places in Europe where public cockfighting is conducted.

The town came under the Spanish crown, after Moorish rule, in 1487.

Demographics

VÃ©lez is currently growning rapidly, with expatriates and immigrants from other parts of Spain appearing in every part of the municipality. Ethnic minority groups include gypsies, a small Chinese community, Islamic groups especially Moroccans, sub-Saharan Africans, and expatriates from other European Union countries especially Germany and the United Kingdom. In 2003 there were 2,743 residents who did not have Spanish nationality.

Since 1990 there has been a movement, with its own political party, to separate Torre del Mar from VÃ©lez.

MarÃa Zambrano, philosopher

Fernando Hierro, footballer

Federico Vahey, minister of justice under Isabel II

Category:Municipalities in MÃ¡laga

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