Ronda, Spain

Living on the edge of a canyon - this is Ronda, Spain, located 950 meters above sea level. It is known worldwide for its dramatic steepness and unique views, as well as the deep El Tahoe Gorge, which is crossed by the Guadalevin River. And also the place where Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles spent many summers.
Ronda is known as the cradle of modern bullfighting. Here is the first bullring, built in the late eighteenth century. In front of it is a monument to the famous bullfighter Pedro Romero, and next to it is the Museum of Bullfighting. He is the legendary bullfighter who imposes the new style in bullfighting, in which the bullfighter confronts the bull not on horseback, but standing on the ground. And while bullfighting can be seen elsewhere in Andalusia, it is here that the famous Goesca bullfight takes place every September, in which bullfighters and some of the audience are dressed the way Goya sketches life in the region. 

Ronda is the birthplace of the 6-string Spanish guitar, without which it would not be possible to imagine flamenco. Ronda has a wonderful "romeria" worship every year. It is organized in Virgen de la Cabeza and is organized by the local Catholic fraternity of the same name and fills Ronda with bright colors and festive music. Enthusiastic pilgrims are dressed in bright fashionable flamenco dresses, traditional men's clothing. Before the procession, pilgrims gather in front of La Merced Church to say the prayer at 12:00 and baptize the new members of the fraternity. The Virgin is then taken to the Hermitage, where a carnival begins, dotted with songs and dances against the backdrop of the wonderful sounds of flutes and tambourines.
In general, Ronda has two parts - old and new, which to connect was built the bridge Puente Nuevo in the XVIII century, which gives everyone an incredible view of the mountains and the gorge El Tajo.
In the Old Ronda, walking through cobbled streets and neat squares, you can see distinctive palaces. Among them are the Palacio de Mondragon, which was built in 1314 as the residence of the great Moorish ruler Abb el Malik.
Of interest are the church of Santa Maria la Mayor, built on a mosque, the Renaissance town hall and the church of San Sebastian in a complex with a minaret from the era of the Nasrid dynasty.
In the New Town you should not miss the prestigious arena Plaza de Toros, built in neoclassical style by architect Jose Martin de Aldejuela, and the Museo Taurino Museum, which includes dazzling collections of bullfighting cloaks. Remains of prehistoric Neolithic settlements have been found around Ronda, including rock paintings.
Ronda is a remarkable town that poets weave into verse, and artists and visitors use for inspiration. A town that is a city of all people in the world. Ronda is a city with a soul that is so captivating that one allows the city to conquer it and stay there forever.