Vélez de Benaudalla has been preparing for today's big event: The Andalusian 'Moors and Christians' Meet.

Now, this is not some sort of Muslim and Christian get together, but rather a reenactment of Spain’s medieval history following the Reconquista; i.e., when the Catholic Monarchs concluded the long battle to take back Iberia from Islam, terminating officially in 1492, although rebellions didn’t conclude until the 17th Century.

Enough of the History! Vélez de Benaudalla will play host to representatives from Molvízar, Carchalejo, Alfarnate, Senés, Cherín, Alcudia de Monteagud, Benalauría, Benamaurel, Quéntar, Campillo de Arenas, Benadalid, Velefique, Bélmez de la Moraleda, Comarca de Almanzora, and Benamahoma.

For this reason it will be the largest gathering of Moros y Cristianos associations in the whole of Spain!

The festivals represent the capture of the city by the Muslims and the subsequent Christian reconquering fight. The people who take part in the festival are usually enlisted in local associations called comparsas (companies that represent the Christian or Moor legions).

Things start at 10.00h with a welcoming ceremony given by the Mayor, Francisco Rodríguez, and the Chairman of the A.C. of Moors & Christians, Francisco Díaz. This is followed by a chat given by Juan Gutiérrez on this tradition and what it entails and then at noon, reenactments begin with plenty of colour and probably gunpowder.

At 18.00h there will be a parade of the participants led by the Batallón de Marbella Grupo Musical.

Then at 19.00h there will be more performances or reenactments lasting until 21.00h. At this hour there will be a performance of Banu Abd-Allah, by Rafael Ballesteros, performed by the Churriana de la Vega Banda de Música, conducted by Javier Giner.

So, there will be plenty of entertainment in Vélez de Benaudalla, which as you all know, is just off the coast, reached by driving through the spectacular canyon road (Los Tajos).

The video below was made in 2020 about previous years’s celebration but it has a slow start owing to credits, etc. Fast forward to where the enactments begin.

(News/Noticias: Velez de Benaudalla, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)