Casares, Spain

The municipality has a population of 4,051 (male: 2,139, female: 1,912), an area of 160 km² and a density of 25.3. Its geographic coordinates are: latitude: 36° 27' 0N, longitude: 5° 16' 60W, altitude: 246 msl.

The municipality borders with the following ones: Estepona, Manilva, and Gaucín.

The town of Casares has Moorish cliff-hugging buildings.

[edit] History

View over Casares

In Roman times the spa of la Hedionda, located on the road to Manilva, was already well known, and this is where Julius Caesar was cured of a liver complaint, supposedly thanks to the sulphuric waters that still pour out of the local spring. It was for this reason that during the Roman Empire Casares was allowed to mint its own coins, a permission granted by the emperor in gratitude for the curing of a skin disease after bathing in the village's sulphuric and alkaline waters. Evidence of the Moorish presence can still be seen here in the 12th century Castle, around which grew the present town centre. In 1361, Pedro the Cruel and the dethroned Mohamed V of Granada signed the Pact of Casares, by which the Moorish King recuperated his throne, leaving Casares as part of the Nazrid kingdom. The town surrendered to the Catholic forces after the fall of Ronda in 1485 and was handed over to Rodrigo Ponce de León, Duke of Cádiz, as part of his domain. Here too the Duke of Arcos accepted the surrender of the rebel Moriscos, the Moors who had "converted" to Christianity. Casares had taken an active part in this rebellion, put down by Don Juan de Austria. The town separated from Manilva in 1795, being granted the title of Villa. At a later period, Casares was the only town, apart from Cádiz, that the Napoleonic troops has not been able to take.

More recent history indicates the old village as the birthplace of the father of Andalusian nationalism, Blas Infante Perez de Vargas, labour lawyer, politician, and writer, who is considered to be the largest historic figure in Andalucia. He was born in 1885 and died during the civil struggle in 1936.

Since 1978 the historical and artistic heritage of the village has been officially protected. .

[edit] Celebrations

The main fair (Feria) of Casares takes place during the first weekend in August. The day of the patron saint, the Virgen del Rosario, is celebrated in the first week in September, and in the middle of this month too is the Feria del Cristo. The most important of the Romero takes place the last saturday in May.

[edit] Local administration

The mayor of Casares is Mr. Juan Sánchez García, of the the coalition Izquierda Unida- Los Verdes - Convocatoria por Andalucía. This coalition has six councillors in the town's ayuntamiento, while Unidad por Casares has four, and the Partido Andalucista has one.