culture and custom of Malaga in Spain

History:
The Phoenicians founded the city Malaka here, in about 1000 BC. The name Malaka is probably derived from the Phoenician word for salt because fish was salted near the harbour; in other Semitic languages the word for salt is still Hebrew מלח mélaḥ or Arabic ملح milḥ.

About six centuries later, the Romans conquered the city along with the other Spanish areas of Carthago. From the 5th century AD it was under the rule of the Visigoths.

In the 8th century, Spain was conquered by the Moors, and the city became an important centre of trade. Málaga was first a possession of the Caliphate of Cordoba. After the fall of the Umayyad dynasty, it became the capital of a distinct kingdom, dependent on Granada. During this time, the city was called Mālaqah (Arabic مالقة).

At a late stage of the reconquista, the reconquering of Spain, Málaga became Christian again, in 1487.

Málaga did not undergo fierce bombing by Francoist insurgent air forces during the Spanish Civil War in 1936. Tourism on the adjacent Costa del Sol boosted the city's economy from the 1960s onwards.

The magnum opus of Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona, "Malagueña", is named for the music of the gypsies of this region of Spain.


Custom:
April - Holy Week in Malaga
For more than 500 years of history, Holy Week of Malaga has been constantly present in the religious and popular feeling of people from Malaga.
Every year, during the Passion Week in Malaga takes out to the streets a real festival perceptible by the five senses: processional thrones carrying images that are swung all along the entire route, thousands of penitents lighting and giving colour with their candles and robes, processional marches, as well as aromas of incense and flowers filling the air as the processions pass by and thousands of people crowded to see and applaud their favourite tronos (floats, thrones).

August - Fiesta time in Malaga
The Malagüenos love the build up during the month. On the outskirts of the city a huge "village" is erected where the local businesses and the higher class resident will rent a Casita, a small marquee usually decorated in the family tradition, to hold their own party every night throughout the 10 days of Fiesta. They wil pasear up and down the central street of the village, in beautifully decorated horse and carriages, or on horseback with the señorita in full flamenco dress sitting behind her escort for the evening. In the city the locals will stroll the streets till the early hours dressed in their Malagüenan finery, stopping for a glass of malaga wine, a sweet sherry type wine, a plate of tapas and listening to the many musical groups playing throughout the town.