joins Álora with Carratraca. History The area was settled since prehistorical times, and was exploited for its commercial position by Tartessos and by the Phoenicians, who most likely built the castle. The Romans, after their conquest of Spain, restored the fortress and had here a municipium known as Iluritanum, as attested by an inscription dating to 79 BC. The fortress was further enlarged by the Visigoths and, above all, the Moors, who conquered it early during their conquest of Spain. Álora became a stronghold of the rebellious Umar ibn Hafsun, semi-independent lord of Bobastro in the time of the emirate of Córdoba. The Christians of northern and central Spain attempted numerous times to conquer the town, but were successful only in 1484. Álora enjoyed a period of prosperity during the 16th and 17th centuries, and in 1628 it became autonomous from the commune of Málaga. In the 20th century much of the population emigrated, especially to Argentina and, starting from the 1960s, Germany, Australia and Switzerland. Main sights Álora's castle was built by the Phoenicians and then expanded under Roman rule. In the 5th century the castle was virtually destroyed by the Visigoths, but was rebuilt under the Moors; remnants of this era still remain, namely the decorative steel door and the traditional Arab mirador. Other sights include: church and convent of Nuestra Señora de Flores (16th century) Iglesia de la Veracruz (16th century) church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación, located on the site of the castle's mosque. It houses a crucifix by José Navas Parejo. chapel of St. Brigida (16th century) chapel of Las Torres (15th century), in late Gothic style Local transport The best way to access Álora from Málaga is the Cercanías (commuter or suburban) railway Line 2, which runs up the valley of the Guadalhorce river from Málaga Centro-Alameda via the mainline station at Málaga María Zambrano to Álora, taking about forty minutes for the forty kilometre journey with six other intermediate stations. For visitors arriving from the airport, Cercanías Line 1 runs frequently to Málaga Victoria Kent or María Zambrano, where connections may be made to Line 2. Buses run by Málaga Metropolitan Transport Consortium (Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano del Área de Málaga) are the main form of transport around the town of Álora and the villages of the metropolitan area. References External links Tourist Information for the El Chorro, Camino del Rey and