Macharaviaya and the Gálvez legacy
There are remote places that are barely known, which play a prominent role in history without us even being aware of it. Macharaviaya, a small town in Malaga with a population of about 700, is one of those spots that we have to jot down in our travel journal. Hometown of a noble family, Gálvez, it is the birthplace of one of the great figures of the American War of Independence: Bernardo de Gálvez. The origins of this family who travelled to America to play an important role in the development of its history, go back to the 15th century. Theirs is an exciting story that is worth discovering as you walk along the town's cobbled streets.
José and his nephew Bernardo are important figures in the Gálvez family. The former was a politician and lawyer whose career took off thanks to King Charles III, who appointed him Minister of the Indies. And he gave Bernardo the chance to cross the pond and go down in history as a great military leader. There he had a successful military career and took part in an important military victory: the conquests of the cities of Mobile and Pensacola, which today are twinned with Malaga and Macharaviaya, respectively.
Bernardo de Gálvez played a decisive role in the American War of Independence as for the victory of the Continental Army – so much so that in 2014 he was named an honorary citizen of the United States. No other Spaniard has achieved that recognition and it puts him a par with Winston Churchill and George Washington. That's no mean feat!
In order to make the most of the interest surrounding this historical character, Macharaviaya decided to remember his important role and the town now celebrates the American Independence Day. Every 4th July, hundreds of locals take to the streets to be a part of the military historical re-enactment of the Battle of Pensacola, which is where Bernardo played a decisive role.
It is well worth visiting this small town in the Axarquía and discovering the legacy of the Gálvez family, who never forgot its origins and contributed to the fact that, for some time, Macharaviaya was know as "Little Madrid". They funded the paving of its streets, the improvement of communications with nearby municipalities, bringing drinking water to the municipality and even the creation of the first Royal Playing Card Factory, which managed to get exclusivity to sell decks in America.
There are other traces of the Gálvez family in Macharaviaya, like the Church of San Jacinto. José Gálvez always wanted to rebuild the church of his hometown, which was in a dilapidated state, and he succeeded in 1783. And you can't leave the municipality without visiting the family's crypt-pantheon which, due to its size, can be considered a veritable underground church. Due to its size and floor plan, it almost matches the church under which it is located. Beware, as there may be ghosts about!
Predictably, the council recently built a Museum of Los Gálvez, dedicated to the history of the town and in honour of such a successful family. You can learn more about the influence that the family had, both in the municipality, in the province and in America. The museum also has several exhibition halls for contemporary artists.
The Gálvez family not only managed to go down in history and play a prominent role in the history of the first world power, but they also managed to place Macharaviaya, their beloved homeland, on the map and help this little town be remembered with eternal gratitude on either side of the ocean.
