The first settlements in Marbella date back to the Paleolithic. The Romans left a deep imprint that bequeathed the thermal baths of Las Bóvedas or the village of Río Verde. Later the Visigoths arrived and we inherited the paleochristian basilica of Vega del Mar.
Who made Marbella famous?
Ricardo Soriano, Marquis of Ivanrey, moved to Marbella and popularised it among his rich and famous friends. In 1943, he acquired a country estate located between Marbella and San Pedro called El Rodeo, and later built a resort there called Venta y Albergues El Rodeo, beginning the development of tourism in Marbella.
What is an interesting fact about Marbella?
Originally a mining town & fishing villageMarbella's fame as the jewel of the Costa del Sol did not begin until the 1950s (see below). Prior to this, the town was known for its iron ore production. At one point, Marbella's smelting furnaces, with ore mined from the nearby mountains, produced 75% of Spain's iron.
How did Marbella become famous?
What is the poorest city in Spain?
Apart from El Palmar de Troya, the five municipalities with the lowest income were all Andalucian; Iznalloz (Granada) with an average income per inhabitant of €7,036; Albunol (Granada) with €7,061; Huesa (Jaen) at €7,080; and Pruna (Sevilla) with €7,219.
What is the Islamic history of Marbella?
During the Islamic era, Marbella became a walled city. The Muslims built a castle and surrounded the city with a strong wall containing three access points or portals: "del Mar", "de Ronda" and "de Malaga". The remains of the castle still exist today.
What made Spain so wealthy?
Spain grew rich from the gold and silver it found after conquering native civilizations in Mexico and South America. However, conflict with Indians and the failure to find major silver or gold deposits made it difficult to persuade settlers to colonize there.