Benajarafe
Most of the population lives on the coast, and the N-340 main road runs through the town. Inland there is a place called Benajarafe Alto, where there are many country houses and farm houses scattered about.
An 18th-century watchtower stands out on a hill in the area, known as “Torre Gorda o Moya”, about 15 metres above sea level, next to the N-340 main road.
History
Benajarafe has been inhabited since the Palaeolithic era. Historians believe that the Greek colony Mainake used to be near here and the exact place is still being searched for. The most significant archaeological remains have appeared next to the Vélez River, in Torre del Mar.
Later on it became a Moorish settlement, which gave the place its name, and then it was a medieval farmstead.
One of the most significant landmarks in Benajarafe was built in the 18th century – Moya Tower or Gorda Tower ("Fat Tower”). It is called “fat” because it is the largest tower on the Malaga coast. The purpose of this tower was to warn the people of the village if pirates appeared, who for centuries used to attack from different places. Fires were lit as a warning – using the smoke in the day and fire at night.
