Ronda in the Andalusian province of Malaga

Will Ronda be included into the UNESCO World Heritage List?

Spanish town of Ronda will apply to UNESCO for inclusion in the list of World Architectural Heritage. Decision on the nomination of Rhonda belongs to its Mayor Antonio Marina. On November 23, 2010 Mayor of Rhonda suggested the City Council to consider the nomination for UNESCO in the nearest future.

Ronda is today one of the main historical attractions of Andalusia. It is located in the Malaga province, 100 km from the city of Malaga. Mountainous terrain, where the city is located, was the cause of its unique architecture. Part of city buildings stand at the edge of a cliff, literally hanging over the gorge.

The main attractions of Ronda are its bridges. There are the Roman Bridge (Puente Romano), the Old Bridge (Puente Viejo) and the New Bridge (Puente Nuevo), built over the picturesque canyon. The highest bridge, Puente Nuevo, is located at an altitude of 120 meters above the canyon.

In addition to bridges and breathtaking architecture Ronda is famous as a city, where is located the oldest Spanish bullring Plaza de Toros de Ronda, where still organized bullfights. One of the main attractions of Ronda is the City Council building, where today is located the historic Parador hotel.

Rondo is associated with the names of several prominent creative individuals of the 20th century. At one time here lived Ernest Hemingway, who is believed to describe Ronda in his novel "For Whom the Bell Tolls." Another fan of Rhonda was a famous film director Orson Welles, whose ashes in 1985 were scattered on the Plaza de Toros de Ronda.

As we see, Ronda has enough reasons to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is hoped that UNESCO representatives will not leave the request from Rhonda unheeded.

Date: 25/11/2010