Torre de los Verdiales

Torre de los Verdiales is a small, partly ruined medieval watchtower dating from the Islamic period, standing in the Montes de Málaga hills near the city of Málaga in Andalusia, Spain. It is listed as site number 081 in Málaga's official archaeological protection catalogue, part of the city's General Urban Development Plan, and holds the highest category of legal heritage protection.

What was the tower built for?

The tower formed part of an inland network of watchtowers whose job was to monitor roads and keep watch over the surrounding farmland, as opposed to the chain of coastal towers built to warn of seaborne raids. From its hilltop position it commands views over the valleys of the Guadalmedina, Guadalhorce and Campanillas rivers, and it kept visual contact with the nearby Torre del Prado, allowing lookouts to relay warning signals - by fire or smoke - along the chain in case of danger.

What does the structure look like?

The tower is cylindrical, built on a circular plan roughly five metres in diameter and four metres high. Its walls combine sandstone and schist (slate) rubble, laid with horizontal courses of thin slate slabs bonded with lime mortar. Faint traces of a lime-plaster render still cling to the stonework. Only the lower, solid section of the tower survives today - its core is made of stones bound together with lime mortar - while the upper part of the structure has been lost over time.

Where is it and how do you reach it?

The tower stands at 569 metres above sea level, crowning a schist hillside that overlooks the valley below. The usual approach is from the village of Casabermeja towards Venta de las Ánimas, from where a track leads to the nearby Ermita de los Verdiales hermitage, close to the tower itself. The site is physically accessible on foot, but it is not set up for organised visits - there is no signage, path or visitor infrastructure.

What condition is it in?

Official records rate the tower's conservation as poor: it is classified as partially destroyed. Damage stems from both natural causes, chiefly surface erosion, and human activity, including land terracing, deforestation of the surrounding slopes, and looting by treasure hunters. The plot is privately owned, yet it falls under the strictest archaeological protection zone in Málaga's planning catalogue, which bars any development on or near the site, and it also benefits from Spain's generic 1949 decree protecting castles. Málaga's urban plan proposes consolidating, cleaning and partially restoring the tower as part of a broader programme to save the district's defensive towers.

Is this connected to the famous Verdiales music of Málaga?

The name is often confused with "verdiales," the traditional Málaga folk style of music and dance performed with guitars, violins, tambourines and castanets at rural festivals, especially around Christmas. Despite sharing a name, the two are unrelated: one is a defensive stone tower in the Montes de Málaga, the other a living musical tradition of the region. Both names most likely derive independently from the same local place-name or from the green olive groves ("verdiales") common in the area, rather than one referring to the other.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Torre de los Verdiales built? During the Islamic medieval period, according to Málaga's heritage catalogue.

Can visitors tour the tower? The area is accessible on foot, but the tower has no formal visitor facilities or organised tours.

How big is the tower? About five metres in diameter and four metres tall; only the lower, solid section survives.

Does the tower have anything to do with the Verdiales music genre? No - the shared name is coincidental. The tower is a defensive heritage site, while Verdiales is a separate Málaga folk music and dance tradition.

How do you get to the tower? The usual route starts in Casabermeja, heading towards Venta de las Ánimas, then following the track to the Ermita de los Verdiales, close to which the tower stands.