Alpaindeire information
The present-day village dates back to the 8th century, Alpandeire
being one of the 1st towns fortified by the Moslems in La
Serrania de Ronda region. The layout of its streets still
reflects the influence of Andalusi-Arabic culture, and particularly
impressive for the visitor is the large nave of Saint Anthony
of Padua Church, which dates back to the 18th century. Stories
of highwaymen, usually a combination of reality and legend,
are still commonly told in the area. Alpandeire was home
to one of the bloodiest and most notorious bandits in the
Serrania de Ronda, Antonio Barbaran Jimenez, alias El Barbarán,
who operated in the area in the first half of the 19th century
at the head of a band of a dozen outlaws. Alpandeire has
become a meeting and pilgrimage point for many people wishing
to visit the birthplace of Brother Leopold of Alpandeire
(1864-1956), a Capuchin almoner renowned in Andalusia, whose
beatification has been in progress since 1961.
History
Human presence in Alpandeire’s municipal area dates
back to prehistoric times, as witnessed by archaeological
findings at Cerro de Castillejos and the interesting Calcolithic
dolmens discovered in the Encinas Borrachas area. The present-day
village dates back to 711, being one of the first in La
Serrania de Ronda mountain range to be fortified by the
Moslems. Hamet el Zegri later took refuge in the castle,
from where he monitored attacks on Ronda. After the expulsion
of the morsicos - Moslem converts to Christianity - in the
mid 16th century, the village and the surrounding area were
left practically abandoned, and Philip III was forced to
issue a decree ordering the repopulation of Alpandeire as
well as its dependencies, Pospitar and Audalazar. One of
the most figure born in the village was Brother Leopold
of Alpandeire (1864-1956), whose real name was Francisco
Tomas de San Juan Bautista Marquez Sanchez. He rose to fame
in the whole of Andalusia as a Capuchin almoner, living
the final years of his life in Granada, where his mortal
remains lie in the crypt of the Capuchin Church. Moves to
beatify him began in 1961.
Malaga province
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