: City Of Citadels

“The sky saved me. If this land’s paths you know not, then by chance you found me; for I am off to Melilla.” ELILLA Juan Ruíz de Alarcón M O n the eastern part of the Moroccan mountain chain, on the And Its Mediterranean shores, on ’s frontier, Melilla gazes over to the Spanish coast. Some of the world’s first hominids walked here. Northern Africa was once a humid place. Hippopotami, rhinoceroses, elephants, and giraffes inhabited its forests and savannahs. Here those “pre-Neanderthal” races, whose culture and technology’s traces are still preserved in Casablanca, Rabat, and , first evolved. The climate’s sudden change to a drier one caused an abrupt change in the ecosystem.

Northern Africa remained isolated between the sea and the Sahara desert. Melilla’s most ancient settlements go back to that time, found in the immediate vicinities of Mt. Gurugú. Neolithic remains are found a little further on, at about 30 km. from the city, on Punta Negri.

The Phoenicians, according to Homer, were that Mediterranean mercantile people intent on trading and plundering the islands’ towns, who first inaugurated the existence of Melilla. They brought the alphabet, wine, cedars, art of navigation...and they in turn came for the metals they found. The Phoenicians, called so due to the color purple that colored their robes, began colonizing the Mediterranean coasts, hailing from their homeland , in modern-day Lebanon, throughout the centuries between the year 1200 and 332 BCE. Until then, this ancient Semitic people expanded its maritime commerce by means of sturdy ships, from coast to coast, founding factories and colonies.

The Phoenician settlement of Melilla, surely founded after the V century CE, was basically, and on account of its geographical position, suitable as a coastal trading post. The enclave had, quite visibly, Cape Tres Forcas as a reference point. The dominant easterly and westerly winds allowed them to find the perfect anchorage in Melilla or Cazaza.

The area’s attractions, to the Phoenicians’ eyes, were not simply its logistics potential. The Phoenicians practiced navigation by height, that is, by sailing along the coasts, various centuries before Melilla was founded. In fact, they sailed without any difficulty the 235 miles stretch between and . Reason for which, if they chose to stop in Melilla, it must have been for something more than just staying overnight. Of their presence, time has left the necropolis on the peak of de San Lorenzo.

Rusadir, as it was called, starting in the VI c., became a Carthagenian settlement. The Romans, later on, opened a coin mint. In the excavations of the Casa del Gobernador (open to visitors) alone, archaeologists have recently found the following: a patio with a central well, more than 50,000 fragments of ceramic material, 15 types of amphoras, a housed area from the II c. BCE, and a large number of coins.

MELILLA AND ITS PARADOR 1 The excavations at Melilla la Vieja were begun on account of Melilla’s a second phase, in coincidence with the Beduins’ arrival in the XI c., and a past historical glory, when it was part of the province of third phase, in the XV c., when a large number of Andalusi people arrive. Tingitana. It might soon become a sort of museum-town. But back to where we were. Melilla is now Muslim, it grows and gains wealth, and, even the Vikings are attracted by its coast’s position, The traces of history fade out when the fell, although devastating the area in the IX c. It takes about 100 years to rise once more, well known are the ’ siege-and-burn campaigns in the year 429 after that terrible attack, until the troops of caliph Abderrahaman III, in the CE. Of its Phoenician past, only the city’s name endured the assaults and year 926, take the charge, and incorporate it into the Caliphate of Cordoba. decadence of history until the Islamic era. In the XIII c., the city falls under the Merinids of . In the XIV and XV centuries, a series of disputes between the sultans of Tlemencen and Fez Arabs And destroy Melilla and take her to a new period of decadence and neglect. The Christian Occupation T he indigenous people’s resistance against the Arab invaders, at the end of the VII c. is well recorded. Chronicles from that time tell us about the people’s ferocity and the superhuman power of their T he chronicle writer of Casa Ducal (Ducal House) of Medina guide, Cahína, the sorceress. These people, the Berbers, probably Sidonia tells us that on a crisp September day in the year 1497, descended from the prehistoric population that inhabited the Sahara, the sailors “stopped in the middle of the sea because the day reaching the coast when their homeland started to become a desert around had not come yet, and, as night fell, the first thing they did was to bring the year 6000 BCE. on shore a wooden structure of beams, that fit into each other and a wooden raft-like plank that they had brought over from . And they They migrated to the , where they left their cultural worked all through the night to put it up from the fallen wall to the heritage, traces to be found in the language and in schematic drawings. exterior, where the Arabs were...and when the next day came, the Moorish This means that before the Arab invasion, already could Arabs who went about the fields, having seen Melilla the day before barren claim African features in its economical, social, cultural, and ethnic as ever, and they saw it with walls and towers the next morning, and filled genealogy. with the sound of drums and artillery shots, they thought that instead of

Rusadir became Melilla, from the noun Melil (fever), that is, always the Feverish One. The defeated Berbers, escaping from Melilla at the dawn of the eighth century of our era, chose the Rif as their mountain refuge, a favorable highland whence their resistence could continue. They are known for their customs—shaving their head, wearing a jelibiyah, and eating cuscus. All their and others’ customs and languages, occupations, economical systems, however, are more of an accumulation of different and very numerous ethnic groups. The Amazigh (berber is a Greek term meaning barbarian), is—according to Guillermo Alonso Meneses—“equally an Almohad, an Almoravid, a Zenata, a Rif inhabitant, or a Kabylian; as much of a blond with light eyes, as dark or black-skinned and with curly hair.”

However it may have been, starting in the VII century Islam begins to expand, while the cultural substrate of the Amazigh suffers significant transformations. After their first contact, their Arabization would undergo

MELILLA AND ITS PARADOR 2 Christians, devils had landed there, and so they fled from the area The Campaign Of Melilla running off to tell the nearby towns what they had seen.”

Captain Gómez Suárez, Melilla’s first Leader, and his successors, after I n 1902, Bou Hamara "El Rogui," challenges the authority of the conquest, concentrate all their efforts, and a large part of their sultan Abdelaziz, creating his own independent kingdom in the economical resources, in an effort to build up the city’s defenses. northeast part of . He relies on the Rif Kabylian forces, wanting to Investments in this area were such that in 1556, the Dukes gave up on the expel Spain and from the land. This unstable political reality rises town’s plaza construction, in favor of the crown, because the expenses from the earth’s depths, near Melilla, when lead and iron ore mines are were too high. That is when, under the control of Venegas, Governor and discovered there. Immediately the Spanish government gets in touch with Embassador of the Prudent King, the extraordinary events of the El Rogui, who eventually grants Spain the permission to begin the land’s Morabits’ failed invasion occur. One of the Golden Century’s masters, Juan exploitation. The people of the Rif, however, interpret this concession as a Ruíz de Alarcón, recorded the events in his work, La Manganilla de betrayal on behalf of their leader and act on their own. The works on the Melilla mines are momentarily paralized. There are too many interests at play. Pimienta: If you are going to talk to the mayor The French, partners of Spain in this mining adventure, threaten to I think you have come too late. intervene. Thus Spain began its so-called campaign of Melilla. Salomon: How so? Pimienta: He has departed already, The mobilization of reserve troops called to fight in Morocco causes an Off, to Melilla, to save his Soul. unexpected popular reaction on the peninsula, resulting in a bloody revolt, going down in history as the Tragic Week of . In the Barricade of the Wolf (Barranco del Lobo), not too far from the city of Melilla, things Sturdy And Indomitable do not seem to be going any better: the Mixed Brigade of suffers a Walls terrible defeat in which between 1000 to 1500 soldiers die. Hence, 40,000 soldiers land on Melilla and wait till September to act under Gen. Darío Diez Vicario’s orders, finally taking Mt. Gurugú. F rom that moment on, and up into the XIX c., Melilla’s history is written on fresh linen, battlements, saddles, towers, and the rest Once order was re-established in the area, the mining companies begin of the defensive engineering that went into and renovated the city’s walls. to split up the land’s resources. The Spanish Mining Company of the Rif, And the assaults are even fiercer. The most persistent of them, one siege led Inc. (La Compañía Española de Minas del Rif, S.A.) begins to hoard the by captain Muley Ismail, who kept the city surrounded for fifty years iron from the Uixan and Axara Mountains, while the North African throughout the XVII c. That is when the great refurbishment and defensive Company takes charge of the Mount Afra ore. This new and sudden enlargement are carried out. In 1716, the ancient Hornabeque is converted industrial era gives Melilla immediate benefits. The mineral storage is built into an impregnable fortified front, with the bastions of San Pedro and San on land taken by the sea, filling up and clearing out the area, from the José Alto delimiting the Second Precincts. peak of San Lorenzo, where today we find the .

The renovation of the walls that protect the Old Town is the following step; governor Alonso Guevara Vasconcellos with the help of Juan Martín Zermeño, are the construction reform’s masterminds.

The result of that great work is a new Melilla surrounded by an older Renaissance wall, and strengthened by a second and a third wall with bastions. But even this watchtower was not the last one, when, two decades later, the fourth precinct was built along with forts Victoria Chica, Victoria Grande, San Carlos, and Plataforma.

History tells us about the fortress’ efficiency, when in 1774 it fended off an assault, when the Christian artillery faced sultan Muley Abdalah’s army, ten times greater in number and arms.

The treaty of Wad-Ras, signed in 1860, with the sultan of Morocco, seems to have put an end to the city’s long history of sieges endured, establishing the frontier between Morocco and Spain. Spain’s sovereignity over Melilla, however, would still have to get through new obtacles.

MELILLA AND ITS PARADOR 3 The Disaster Of Annual guide. The route that goes through Vieja Melilla starts off with a visit to the permanent exhibit, where by means of projections and miniature models, travelers can go deep into the citadel’s history. Next, a journey S pain’s secular longing, often halted by one cause or another, to through the aljibes, or water cisterns, in the second precinct; then to the expand the nation to the African continent, arises once more in Cueva del Conventico (Cave of the little Convent), in the Cruz walls, 1919. Gen. Silvestre, in charge of Melilla’s command, manages to double where inhabitants hid out in during wars; the Military Museum, and the the city’s . This, once again, unleashes the Rif population’s anger, Archaeological Museum, in the Vela Tower, a must within the First in the summer of 1921, inflicing an exemplary defeat on the Spanish post Historical Precinct. The Museum changed its premises often, until it of Annual. Ten thousand soldiers lose their life and the frontier line gets reached this one, its final location, recently renovated to take the fullest pushed back. This is the negative balance of the Spanish government’s advantage of its valuable lot. Its collections are displayed into five offensive politics. Following the French model, applied eight months sections: Prehistory, Numismatics, Classical Antiquity, the Middle Ages, earlier, Spain promotes a civil protectorate, strongly protected by army the Modern and Contemporary Age. On their own, travelers will get to forces. The offer becomes a matter of fact in 1927, after Alhucemas’ know the Baroque church of la Purísima, along with other memorable disembarkation in 1925, after the victory over Abd-el-Krim and the area’s nooks. final pacification. The protectorate would last until 1956, when Morocco gained its independence. There are other important temples in Melilla outside-the-walls. Over ten mosques, eight churches, half a dozen of synagogues, and a Hindu temple. With Morocco’s independence, Melilla suffers a decrease in its Architecturally, the number of outstanding buildings boils down to three: population. A large part of the troops have returned home to peninsular the Or Zoruah or Yamin Benarroch Synagogue (on López Moreno Spain. In those very years, however, the city witnesses the growth of its Street); the work of, as we shall soon see, the father of Melilla’s modern infrastructure. A maritime port, a new water distribution network, modernism, Enrique Nieto, who inaugurated this synagogue in 1924. The a promenade seafront, the airport’s final touch- ups (implying at last Central Mosque (on García Cabrelles street), built by the same architect complete autonomy from the Moroccan airport of Tarima) and the in 1945, with Andalusi minaret and cupola. And the Hindu Temple, (on inauguration, four years later in 1973, of Melilla’s National Parador. Castelar street), Melilla’s only building dedicated to the Hindu community.

Unfortunately it is impossible to see the three temples in one day, since, except for the Hindu temple, the synagogue is restricted on Tuesdays and Inside The Walls, Thursdays, while visits to the mosque are limited on Sundays. Outside The Walls

T he Parador looks out over the city from above. It gazes over Old Melilla and New Melilla. At its balconies’ feet, a vast panorama unfolds—a thick woodland, next to the mountain, the city, spreading towards the continent, and the sea and the mountains, on the farthest horizon.

The Park of Lobera is Melilla Parador’s matchless location, surrounded by gardens and a swimming pool; it has a privileged access way to the original city, the most ancient part, enclosed in its citadel.

On Cabo Tres Forcas’ eastern slope, along its foot, where it opens up towards the Mar Chica reservoir, lies Melilla “La Vieja” (The Old One), with its four walled precincts. The town, in reality, is an ensemble of four citadels joined, anciently, by four drawbridges. To take full advantage of this heritage, so rich and complex in history, the best thing is to follow a

MELILLA AND ITS PARADOR 4 Modernist From the plaza, towards the interior, we can trace a perfect triangle, And Cosmopolitan fanned out by the gardens of Hernández Park and the streets’ layout. Still in plaza España, we will have stopped by the large Town Hall N ew Melilla is born side by side the old city when the latter was (Ayuntamiento) and the Military Casino buildings. Walking on Avenida still at grips with its defense. At the beginning of the XX c., de Rey , to the left of the Casino and to the right of the park, temporary metropoles, including medium sized ones, begin creating we will run into, on number 1, Nieto’s most ostentatious buildings, boulevards, avenues, and promenades. A new illustrated geometry, in adjacent to the new Baroque building by Guerrero Stracham. For the plan construction architecture as well as in the urban planning of parks, ports, of the grand Avenue, Nieto took the Catalonian masters as and new neighborhoods. Melilla’s expansion finally began to take shape references, especially architect Doménech y Montaner. On the other side of after two failed attempts, at the end of the XIX c.. Eusebio Redondo began, the same street, on number 2, another interesting building, by Manuel in the city’s center, what would be the Ensanche de Reina Victoria Rivera Vera, an example of geometric modernism, its cupola tower expansion, now known as the Golden Triangle. It is unquestionably especially worthy of note. indebted to the Ensanche Cerdá of Barcelona, its model. Treading along the Avenue, at the height of Calle Cervantes crossing, Melilla’s similarities with the capital of modernism (Barcelona) do not lie a pair of almost symmetrical buildings by Eusebio Redondo, with the end here. The recently inaugurated enlargement attracts investments. handsome frame of the walls in the background. On numbers 11 and 9, Almost one thousand modern and assimilated buildings were built, all of Enrique Nieto once again shows off his talent with a worthy example of them built according to the time’s different styles that were in vogue art deco from 1936, and the old Military Economical building, built two decades earlier, regarded as one of Melilla’s modernist temples, with abundant floral decoration and a series of ondulating balconies along its façade. On numbers 18 and 20 a classicist building by Eusebio Redondo.

To the left of the Avenue, almost any street boasts the aforementioned architects’, and others’, work. Travelers may take a detour along the perpendicular Rosa Chacel Street or the following one, General Pareja Street. Finally, next to a corner of the Park, along Castillejos street, there is a series of eclectic military buildings.

Of Souks And Marketplaces

I n this direction, towards the south, travelers will run into, amongst other things, the bullring or la plaza de Toros, (alongside the Congress Palace, some streets to the west, the city’s pride (Rationalism, Eclecticism, Art Deco, Historicism), which are commonly built in 1997), the market of the Good Agreement, the Concepción grouped together under what we call “modernism”. neighborhood, the river…

A foreigner visiting Melilla for the first time will be surprised by its Melilla’s other attractive feature is the price of its many items, much fabulous development of modernism. If we were to give a name and credit lower in comparison to peninsular Spain. Prices in this taxfree port are to an architect, we would undoubtedly refer to the Barcelonian, Enrique exempt of duties and VAT taxes, and shopping for electronic devices is a Nieto. He imported European models at first, while throughout the four favorite. decades he spent working in Melilla, Nieto’s work spans many different styles, all of them overflowing with creativity, especially abundant with Melilla is also well known for its silver and gold articles, and generally, floral decoration. its jewelry. Mixed in with the boutiques, one will find international brand name stores, crafts shops, leatherwork stores, Muslim, Jewish, and Hindu Streets and houses speak for themselves in Melilla. Travelers interested stores... If, despite everything, the traveler still longs for street markets, he in seeing the most outstanding from the early XX c., has a wide range of or she may satisfy the urge for exotic merchandise by visiting the routes and sites. We would like to suggest, in fact, that this is the second Mercadillo, located in a new place, the Polígono del SEPES shopping city in Spain known for its modernist heritage. mall, filled with stands and the immortal appeal of a Moroccan souk. The souvenirs there include: carpets, slippers, china sets, perfumes, and the May the traveler place him or herself in Plaza España, which is also taffetan, an Arab clothing article and perhaps the most attractive the perfect place to set out to discover today’s city, no matter the plan for item. Once it was adopted by the Amazigh berbers, it spread throughout the day: having a coffee, going shopping, going to the market... Morocco, and both urban and countrywomen may be seen wearing it.

MELILLA AND ITS PARADOR 5 There are still more things to see and do in Melilla. Should travelers And Fez have any strength left, or they are thinking about extending their stay, it should be known that the city has an important port at its disposalsince 1911, in full modernization process now, with an active ferry service, many kilometers of beaches, the archipelago of Chafarinas, the N ador is the town closest to Melilla, only 12 km away. With a Galápagos inlet—of high environmental value—and the city’s enormous population of over 130,000, this coastal city is protected from cultural heritage, declared a Cultural Heritage spot. the behind an inner sea, closed off by an isthmus they call Mar Chica. Not few subsaharan people arrive there, every day, driven by their dream to reach one day. The city was founded by the Spanish and its Andalusian style is quite obvious in its architecture. Nador’s proximity to Melilla makes it the perfect place beloved by hundreds of Melillans who run daily to what they call the “Corte Moro”, a marketplace that deserves to be visited.

A richer and more interesting excursion takes us to Fez, about 350 km. from Melilla, by road. From Nador it is possible to make the trip by bus.

The road enters the eastern Rif. Half way to Fez, it is worth stopping in Alhucemas. Its Spanish foundation is unmistakable. Just like Nador, Alhucemas grew during the years of the Protectorate. It is also a large city, although considerably smaller than Nador. Its beach offers breathtaking rocky views on the sea.

Thus we arrive to Fez. Founded in the IX c. by Idris II, this metropolis, with its million inhabitants, boasts the oldest Medina in Morocco and one of the largest of all the (). Travelers will notice, upon arriving, striking contrasts, for in reality Fez is three cities in one: the modern city, founded by the French in 1920; Fez el Bali, the overwhelming labyrinth of Medieval streets; and an enlargement of the old town, carried out by the Benimerin dynasty, in the XIII c. In Fez el Bali all different guilds live together as they have for centuries: tailors, potters, blacksmiths, and of course, tanners, all in their own neighborhoods. Along with those of Tetúan, the tanners of Fez are the only ones in the Venturing Off To The who tan and dye leather according to tradition. Mountains And To The Desert Getting To The Meal

M elilla offers many an interesting excursion, but they are quite far M elilla’s cuisine takes Andalusian recipes to its stovetops, along from the city. The most diverse travelers come to Melilla: with diverse international cuisine and of course, Moroccan adventurers, scuba divers, 4X4 lovers, hikers, Europeans, Americans, styles. This can be sampled in the Parador’s restaurant, where, aside from people with a nostalgia for the days of the Protectorate, artists... there are Cuscus and Vegetable Salads, one should try our Vegetable and all kinds of organized trips and infrastructures that help plan independent Meat Soups, or our Stuffed Dates. routes or trips. In Melilla, as in the rest of Spain, tapas are greatly appreciated before A most adorable excursion, adventurous but not risky, from and back to the main meal. The city offers three main tapas bar hopping routes: one, Melilla, is to travel through the Natural Park of Mount Gurugú. along the sea promenade, another in the center, and the other through the There, aside from the environmental treasures of its rugged highlands, one Real neighborhood. There is a wide selection from which to choose— may find Roman ruins, and a colony of Monkeys, the so called Berberiscs, seafood, fried fish, Melilla aperitifs... already mentioned in Biblical times, although they were known simply as apes. Let’s get to the main meal. Firstly: Vegetables (Melilla’s veggies are sought out all the way from Spain), Asparagus, Artichokes, A trip to the desert, however, requires major daring. There are many Tomatoes, Green Beans...all fixed in a very similar fashion as they do ways to get there, whether by organized tour, or in a private or rental in , in the Levante (Almeria), and in , that is, vehicle. Oases, dunes, and palm trees lie under the great sun and the great smothered raw vegetables, or slightly grilling them or in wonderful moon. The best thing is to get in touch with the Moroccan tourism office soups. Given the city’s temperatures, at any time of the year, one can for advice, once you have crossed the border. There you will obtain the begin the feast with a light Ajoblanco garlic cold soup. essential information. For second course, it would be a pity not to sample, the Mediterranean’s seafood catch. We suggest a Monkfish Stew, or perhaps a Mixed Fried Platter. Desserts are excellent. Some Moroccan chefs even make Shish Kebabs with White Fish, Seasoned with Ground Red Pepper, Parsley, Garlic, and Cumin.

MELILLA AND ITS PARADOR 6 From the Jewish tradition, 'Chuchuca' and meat stewed with onions are excellent options. And let’s not forget the Indian element, by sampling some of this land’s wonderful fresh fruit in a typical Raita with Yogurt.

Any meal should not be considered over until one has had a Green Tea with Mint, accompanied by some Sweet Moroccan almond pastry. Filo Dough Layered Pastry and Orange Flower Water is irresistible.

THE SECRET RECIPE

COCHO FISH WITH CILANTRO

Ingredients: 1 Kg. Grouper, 2 Tomatoes, 1 Spicy Pepper, Half a Garlic Head, a Bouquet of Cilantro, Salt, Olive Oil, and Paprika.

Preparation: Once the fish has been cleaned and debones, cut it into medium size cubes. Sprinkle with paprika and salt.

Next, add the chopped garlic and cilantro. This herb—used from China to America—and also known as Mexican parsley, is crucial to the dish on account of its aroma. Fry the previously washed and chopped tomatoes and peppers in a pan. Next, add the fish and let it cook, adding enough water to cover it. The dish will be ready when it simmers down.

Parador de Melilla D. Pedro de Estopiñán Avda. Cándido Lobera,s/n. 52001 Melilla Tel.: 95 268 49 40 - Fax: 95 268 34 86 e-mail: [email protected] Reservation Center Requena, 3. 28013 Madrid (España) Tel.: 902 54 79 79 - Fax: 902 52 54 32 www.parador.es / e-mail: [email protected]

Text: Miguel García Sánchez Design: Fernando Aznar

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