Málaga
Flag Coat of arms
Málaga Location in Andalusia
Málaga Location in Spain
Coordinates: 36°43′10″N 4°25′12″W / 36.71944°N 4.42°W / 36.71944; -4.42Coordinates: 36°43′10″N 4°25′12″W / 36.71944°N 4.42°W / 36.71944; -4.42
Country	Spain
Autonomous Community	Andalusia
Province	Málaga
Comarca	Málaga-Costa del Sol
Founded	8th century BC[1]
Government
• Type	Mayor-council
• Body	Ayuntamiento de Málaga.
• Mayor	Francisco De La Torre Prados (PP)
Area
• City	395 km2 (153 sq mi)
• Urban	561.71 km2 (216.88 sq mi)
Elevation	11 m (36 ft)
Population (2010)
• City	568,507
• Rank	6th
• Density	1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi)
• Urban	1,046,279
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postcode	29001-29018
Calling code	+34 (Spain) 95 (Málaga)
Website	www.malaga.eu

Málaga (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmalaɣa]; Phoenician: מַלַחַה, Malaḥa) is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the fifth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe. It lies on the Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun) of the Mediterranean, about 100 km (62.14 mi) east of the Strait of Gibraltar and about 130 km (80.78 mi) north of Africa.

Málaga enjoys a subtropical–mediterranean climate. It has one of the warmest winters in Europe, with average temperatures of 17 °C (62.6 °F) during the day and 7–8 °C (45–46 °F) at night in the period from December through February. The summer season lasts about eight months, from April through November, although in the remaining four months temperatures sometimes reach around 20 °C (68.0 °F).

Málaga's history spans about 2,800 years, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. It was founded by the Phoenicians as Malaka about 770 BC, and from the 6th century BC was under the hegemony of Ancient Carthage. Then from 218 BC it was ruled by the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire as Malaca (Latin). After the fall of the empire it was under Islamic Arab domination as Mālaqah (مالقة) for 800 years, but in 1487 it came under the dominion of the Spaniards in the Reconquista. The archaeological remains and monuments from the Phoenician, Roman, Arabic and Christian eras make the historic center of the city an "open museum", displaying its rich history of more than 3,000 years.

This important cultural infrastructure and the rich artistic heritage have culminated in the nomination of Málaga as a candidate for the 2016 European Capital of Culture.

The internationally acclaimed painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso and actor Antonio Banderas were born in Málaga. The magnum opus of Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona, "Malagueña", is named for the music of this region of Spain.

The most important business sectors in Málaga are tourism, construction and technology services, but other sectors such as transportation and logistics are beginning to expand. The Andalusia Technology Park (PTA), located in Málaga, has enjoyed significant growth since its inauguration in 1992. As of 2009, this high-tech, science and industrial park is home to 509 companies and employs over 13,600 people.

History[link]

La malagueña (1919) by Julio Romero de Torres.

The Phoenicians from Tyre founded the city as Malaka about 770 BC. The name Malaka or mlk is probably derived from the Phoenician word for "salt" because fish was salted near the harbour. (Cf. "salt" in other Semitic languages, e.g. Hebrew מלח mélaḥ or Arabic ملح malaḥ).

After a period of Carthaginian rule, Malaka became part of the Roman Empire. In its Roman stage, the city (Latin name, Malaca) showed a remarkable degree of development. Transformed into a confederated city, it was under a special law, the Lex Flavia Malacitana. A Roman theatre was built at this time.^[2] After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was ruled first by the Visigoths and then by the Byzantine Empire (550-621).

In the 8th century, during the Muslim Arabic rule over Spain, the city became an important trade center. Málaga was first a possession of the Caliphate of Córdoba. After the fall of the Umayyad dynasty, it became the capital of a distinct kingdom ruled by the Zirids. During this time, the city was called Mālaqah (Arabic مالقة). From 1025 it was the capital of the autonomous Taifa of Málaga, until its conquest by the Taifa of Granada in 1057.

The traveller Ibn Battuta, who passed through around 1325, characterised it as "one of the largest and most beautiful towns of Andalusia [uniting] the conveniences of both sea and land, and is abundantly supplied with foodstuffs and fruits". He praised its grapes, figs, and almonds; "its ruby-coloured Murcian pomegranates have no equal in the world." Another exported product was its "excellent gilded pottery". The town's mosque was large and beautiful, with "exceptionally tall orange trees" in its courtyard.^[3]

Málaga was one of the Iberian cities where Muslim rule persisted the longest, having been part of the Emirate of Granada. While most other parts of the peninsula had already succumbed to the reconquista, the medieval Christian Spanish struggled to drive the Muslims out. Málaga was conquered by Christian forces on 18 August 1487,^[4] five years before the fall of Granada.

On 24 August 1704 the indecisive Battle of Velez-Málaga, the largest naval battle in the War of the Spanish Succession, took place in the sea south of Málaga.

Málaga had a period of rapid development in the 19th century, becoming with Barcelona one of the two most industrialized cities of Spain. But that early industry was gradually dismantled, because the successive national governments were supporting the industrial centers in the north of the country.

Málaga suffered heavy bombing by Nationalist or Republican air forces and naval units during the Spanish Civil War in 1936. The well-known British journalist and writer Arthur Koestler was captured by the Nationalist forces on their entry into Málaga, which formed the material for his book Spanish Testament. The first chapters of Spanish Testament include an eye-witness account of the 1937 fall of Málaga to Francisco Franco's armies during the Spanish Civil War. After the war, Málaga and Koestler's old haunts of Torremolinos and the rest of the Costa del Sol enjoyed the highest growth of the tourism sector in Spain.

Geography[link]

Location[link]

The Roman Theater.

Málaga is located in southern Spain, on the Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun) on the northern side of the Mediterranean Sea. It lies about 100 km east of the Strait of Gibraltar and about 130 km east of Tarifa (the southernmost point of continental Europe) and about 130 km on north of Africa. Lies on a similar latitude (36°N) as Algiers in Algeria, Tunis in Tunisia, Aleppo in Syria, Mosul in Iraq, Tehran in Iran, Kunduz in Afghanistan and Fresno, California in the United States.

Metropolitan area[link]

Málaga, together with the following adjacent towns and municipalities: Rincón de la Victoria, Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Alhaurín de la Torre, Mijas, Marbella y San Pedro Alcántara form the urban area with a population of 1,066,532 on 827.33 km² (density 1,289 hab / km²) – 2012 data. The urban area stretches mostly along a narrow strip of coastline. The Málaga metropolitan area includes additional municipalities located mostly in the mountains area north of the coast and also some on the coast: Cártama, Pizarra, Coín, Monda, Ojén, Alhaurín el Grande and Estepona on west; Casabermeja on north; Totalán, Algarrobo, Torrox and Vélez-Málaga eastward from Málaga.

Map of Málaga province, centered Málaga urban area (Málaga, Rincón de la Victoria, Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Marbella – density >1000/km² and Mijas, Alhaurín de la Torre).

Municipalities of the metropolitan area are connected by the road network (including motorways) with the urban area and Málaga city (the urban area can be reached by car from the farthest reaches in 20 minutes and Málaga city in 45 minutes). In some usages the metropolitan area includes other municipalities to which Málaga's public transportation network extends, at least since the establishment of the Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano del Área de Málaga (en: Consortium of Transportation of Málaga Metropolitan Area). Together about 1.3 million (max. to 1.5 million) people live in the Málaga metropolitan area and the number grows every year as all the municipalities and cities of the area record an annual increase in population.

Climate[link]

The climate is Subtropical–Mediterranean (Köppen climate classification: Csa)^[5] with very mild winters and warm to hot summers. Málaga enjoys plenty of sunshine throughout the year, with an average of about 300 days of sunshine and only about 50 days with precipitation annually. Its coastal location with winds blowing from the Mediterranean Sea make the heat manageable during the summer.^[6]

Málaga experiences the warmest winters of any European city with a population over 500,000 and over 100,000 jointly with two other cities in Spain: Almería and Alicante. The average temperature during the day in the period December through February is 17–18 °C (63–64 °F). During the winter, the Málaga Mountains (Montes de Málaga) block out the cold weather from the north.^[6] Generally, the summer season lasts about eight months, from April to November, although in the remaining four months temperatures sometimes reach around 20 °C (68 °F). Its average annual temperature is 23 °C (73 °F) during the day (one of the highest in Europe) and 13 °C (55 °F) at night. In the coldest month, January, the temperature ranges from 12 to 20 °C (54 to 68 °F) during the day, 4 to 13 °C (39 to 55 °F) at night and the average sea temperature is 15–16 °C (59–61 °F). In the warmest month, August, the temperature ranges from 26 to 32 °C (79 to 90 °F) during the day (it can rarely be higher), above 20 °C (68 °F) at night and the average sea temperature is 23 °C (73 °F).

Large fluctuations in temperature are rare. The highest temperature ever recorded during the day in the city centre is 43.3 °C (109.9 °F) on 13 August 1881. In the month of August 1881, the average reported daytime maximum temperature was a record 34.8 °C (94.6 °F). The coldest temperature ever recorded was −0.9 °C (30.4 °F) on the night (the same as tropical Miami) of 19 January 1891. The highest wind speed ever recorded was on 16 July 1980, measuring 119 km/h (73.94 mph). Málaga city has never recorded any snow.^[7]

Annual average relative humidity is 66%, ranging from 59% in June to 73% in December.^[8] Yearly sunshine hours is between 2,800 and 3,000 per year, from 5–6 hours of sunshine / day in December to average 11 hours of sunshine / day in July.^[8][9][10] This is one of the highest results in Europe and almost double more that of cities in the northern half of Europe (for comparison: London – 1,461, Warsaw – 1,571, Paris – 1,630). According to the Instituto Nacional de Estadística, 2007 saw 3,059 hours of sunshine.^[11] Rain occurs mainly in winter, with summer being generally dry. Málaga is one of the few cities in Europe which are "green" all year round.

Main sights[link]

View of the old Alcazaba.

The Cathedral of the Encarnation.

The old historic center of Málaga reaches the harbour to the south and is surrounded by mountains to the north, the Montes de Málaga (part of Baetic Cordillera), lying in the southern base of the Axarquía hills, and two rivers, the Guadalmedina – the historic center is located on its left bank – and the Guadalhorce, which flows west of the city into the Mediterranean.

The oldest architectural remains in the city are the walls of the Phoenician city, which are visible in the basement of the Picasso Museum.

The Roman theater of Málaga, which dates from the 1st century BC, was fortuitously rediscovered in 1951.

The Moors left posterity the dominating presence of the Castle of Gibralfaro, which is connected to the Alcazaba, the lower fortress and royal residence. Both were built during the Taifa period (11th century) and extended during the Nasrid period (13th and 14th centuries). The Alcazaba stands on a hill within the city. Originally, it defended the city from the incursions of pirates. Later, in the mid-11th century, it was completely rebuilt by the Hammudid dynasty. Occupying the eastern hillside that rises from the sea and overlooks the city, the Alcazaba was surrounded by palms and pine trees.

La Concepción, botanical and historical garden.

Like many of the military fortifications that were constructed in Islamic Spain, the Alcazaba of Málaga featured a quadrangular plan. It was protected by an outer and inner wall, both supported by rectangular towers, between which a covered walkway led up the slope to the Gibralfaro (this was the only exchange between the two sites). Due to its rough and awkward hillside topography, corridors throughout the site provided a means of communications for administrative and defensive operations, also affording privacy to the palatial residential quarters.

The entrance of the complex featured a grand tower that led into a sophisticated double bent entrance. After passing through several gates, open yards with beautiful gardens of pine and eucalyptus trees, and the inner wall through the Puerta de Granada, one finds the 11th and 14th century Governor's palace. It was organized around a central rectangular courtyard with a triple-arched gateway and some of the rooms have been preserved to this day. An open 11th century mirador (belvedere) to the south of this area affords views of the gardens and sea below. Measuring 2.5 square meters, this small structure highlighted scalloped, five-lobed arches. To the north of this area were a waterwheel and a Cyclopean well (penetrating forty meters below ground), a hammam, workshops and the monumental Puerta de la Torre del Homenaje, the northernmost point of the inner walls. Directly beyond was the passage to the Gibralfaro above.

The Church of Santiago (Saint James) is an example of Gothic vernacular Mudéjar, the hybrid style that evolved after the Reconquista incorporating elements from both Christian and Islamic tradition. Also from the period is the Iglesia del Sagrario, which was built on the site of the old mosque immediately after the city fell to Christian troops. It boasts a richly ornamented portal in the Isabeline-Gothic style, unique in the city.

The Cathedral and the Episcopal Palace were planned with Renaissance architectural ideals but there was a shortfall of building funds and they were finished in Baroque style.

The Basílica y Real Santuario de Santa María de la Victoria, built in the late 17th century, has a chapel in which the vertical volume is filled with elaborate Baroque plasterwork.

The historic Anglican Cemetery of St. George is the oldest non-Roman Catholic Christian cemetery established on mainland Spain (in 1831).

Other sights include:

• Walls. Phoenician, Roman, Byzantine, Arab and Spanish remains of the defensive compounds of the city.
• La Concepción, botanical and historical garden.
• Church of the Sacred Heart.
• San Felipe Neri Church.
• Church of the Holy Martyrs.
• Atarazanas Market.
• Palm grove and Muelle Uno. Port of Málaga.
• Anglican Cemetery of St. George.
• San Miguel Cemetery.
• La Malagueta bullring.
• Pedregalejo, old fishing district.

Palacio de la Aduana, Fine Arts and Archeology museum.

Museums[link]

• Museo Picasso Málaga, located at the Palacio de los Condes de Buenavista.
• Carmen Thyssen Museum., located at Palacio de Villalón.
• Museo de Málaga (Fine Arts and Archeology museum) at the Palacio de la Aduana.
• CAC Málaga (museum of modern art). The most visited museum in Andalusia.
• Fundación Picasso and Picasso Birthplace Museum.
• City museum (MUPAM).
• Automobile Museum of Málaga.
• Museum of Glass and Crystal.
• Museo Interactivo de la Música (MIMMA).
• Museum of Wine.
• Museo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares. Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions.

Demographics[link]

The number of resident foreign nationals has risen significantly in Málaga since the 1970s, especially of British and German expatriates who move for the pleasant climate. The majority of foreigners live near the coastline.^[13] An estimated 6 million tourists visit the city each year.^[14]

Politics and administration[link]

Málaga is divided in 11 municipal districts.^[15]

Nº	District	Nº	District	Location
1	Centro	7	Carretera de Cádiz
2	Este	8	Churriana
3	Ciudad Jardín	9	Campanillas
4	Bailén-Miraflores	10	Puerto de la Torre
5	Palma-Palmilla	11	Teatinos-Universidad
6	Cruz de Humilladero

Economy[link]

Málaga harbour.

Trade Fair and Congress in Málaga (Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga).

Málaga is the fourth-ranking city in economic activity in Spain behind Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia.^[16]

The most important business sectors in Málaga are tourism, construction and technology services, but other sectors such as transportation and logistics are beginning to expand. The Andalusia Technology Park (PTA) (In Spanish, "Parque Tecnológico de Andalucía"), located in Málaga, has enjoyed significant growth since its inauguration in 1992 by the King of Spain. As of 2010, this high-tech, science and industrial park is home to 509 companies and employs over 14,500 people.

In line with the city's strategic plan, the campaign "Málaga: Open for Business" is directed towards the international promotion of the city on all levels but fundamentally on a business level. The campaign places a special emphasis on new technologies as well as innovation and research in order to promote the city as a reference and focal point for many global business initiatives and projects.^[17]

Málaga is a city of commerce and tourism has been a growing source of revenue, driven by the presence of a major airport, the improvement of communications, and new infrastructure such as the AVE and the maritime station, and new cultural facilities such as the Picasso Museum, the Contemporary Art Center and Trade Fair and Congress, which have drawn more tourists.^[18]

The city hosts the International Association of Science and Technology Parks (IASP) (Asociación Internacional de Parques Tecnológicos), and a group of IT company executives and business leaders has launched an information sector initiative, Málaga Valley e-27, which seeks to make Málaga the Silicon Valley of Europe. Málaga has had strong growth in new technology industries, mainly located in the Technological Park of Andalusia, and in the construction sector. The city is home to the largest bank in Andalusia, Unicaja, and such local companies as Mayoral, Charanga, Sando, Vera, Ubago, Isofoton, Tedial, Novasoft, Grupo Vértice and Almeida viajes, and other multinationals such as Fujitsu Spain, Pernod Ricard Spain, Accenture, Epcos, Oracle Corporation, Huawei and San Miguel.^[19]

Culture[link]

Holy week in Málaga.

Annual cultural events[link]

The Holy Week celebration, the August Málaga Fair (Feria de Málaga) and the Málaga Film Festival are the three major events held in the city.

The Holy Week of Málaga has been observed for some five centuries. Processions start on Palm Sunday and continue until Easter Sunday. Images depicting scenes from the Passion are displayed on huge ornate tronos (floats or thrones), some weighing more than 5,000 kilos and carried by more than 250 members of the fraternity of Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza. These tronos highlight the processions that go through the streets led by penitents dressed in long purple robes, often with pointed hats, followed by women in black carrying candles. Drums and trumpets play music and occasionally someone spontaneously sings a mournful saeta dedicated to the floats as they make their way slowly round the streets.

August Málaga Fair.

Some Holy Week tronos are so huge that they must be housed in places outside the churches, as they are taller than the entrance doors. There are also military parades of soldiers playing processional band marches or singing their anthems along the route.

During the celebration of the Feria de Málaga in August, the streets are transformed into traditional symbols of Spanish culture and history, with sweet wine, tapas, and live flamenco shows. The day events consist of dancing, live music (like Flamenco or Verdiales, traditional music from Málaga) and bullfights at La Malagueta, while the night fair is moved to the Recinto Ferial, consisting of restaurants, clubs, and an entire fair ground with rides and games.

The Málaga Film Festival (Festival de Málaga Cine Español (FMCE)) is the most important festival dedicated exclusively to cinema made in Spain. It is held annually during a week in April.

Religion[link]

Most of the population of Málaga professes Roman Catholicism as its religion. Islam is represented by a growing number of immigrants and a newly-constructed mosque.

The Evangelicals also have a presence in Málaga, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is growing. The Jewish Community in Málaga is represented by its synagogue and the Jewish Association.

Sports[link]

La Rosaleda stadium. Málaga CF vs Real Madrid C.F. in October, 2010.

Málaga is home to three major professional sports teams. These include:

• Málaga CF – football club plays in Primera División. Honours: UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2002, UEFA Cup: 2003 (Quarter-finals).
• CB Málaga – basketball club plays in SuperLiga ACB. Honours: Spanish Championship: 2006, runner-up: 1995, 2002; Spanish Cup: 2005, runner-up: 2009; Spanish Super-Cup: runner-up: 2006; Korać Cup: 2001, runner-up: 2000; Euroleague: third place: 2007
• Club Atlético Málaga – women's football club plays in Superliga Femenina, Honours: Spain Cup: 1998, runner-up: 1997; Spain Supercup: 1999

The city has four large sports facilities:

• Estadio La Rosaleda – football stadium, with a capacity of 28,963. One of the arenas of Primera División (for Málaga CF) and 1982 FIFA World Cup. Final of UEFA Intertoto Cup 2002.
• Jose Maria Martin Carpena Arena – sports arena, with a capacity of max 14,000. It is home of CB Málaga and arena of Spanish Cup 2001, 2007; Spanish Super-Cup 2004, 2006; NBA Europe Live Tour 2007;
• Estadio de Atletismo Ciudad de Málaga – athletics stadium with a capacity of 7,500. Place where the European Cup 2006 was celebrated; 2006 Vuelta a España; Spain Athletics Championships 2005 and 2011;
• Centro Acuático de Málaga (Málaga Aquatic Center) – water arena, with a capacity of 17,000. Arena of European Water Polo Championship 2008.

In city and neighbourhood, you can engage in many sports, for example: surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, swimming, diving, skydiving, paragliding, running, cycling, rowing, tennis and golf.

La Malagueta beach.

Tourism[link]

Strachan Street in downtown.

The city is an important tourist destination, known as "the capital of the Costa del Sol". Tourists usually visit the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and the Museo Picasso Málaga, the Carmen Thyssen Museum, the old town or the beaches. The Málaga harbour is also the second busiest cruise port of the Iberian Peninsula.

A popular walk leads up the hill to the Gibralfaro castle (a Parador), offering panoramic views over the city. The castle is next to the Alcazaba, the old Muslim palace, which in turn is next to the inner city of Málaga. Other nearby attractions are the Roman Theatre, the old Jewish quarter, the Cathedral, and the Church of Santiago in mudéjar style. A popular walk follows the Paseo del Parque (a promenade that runs alongside a grand park with many palm trees and statues) to the harbour, ending in Calle Larios, the main commercial street of the city. There is also a curious museum, the Museum of the Holy Week, which includes an impressive display of Baroque ecclesiastical items.

Other events[link]

The Fiesta Mayor de Verdiales takes place every year on 28 December during which Spain's April Fool Day is celebrated.^[21]

Fiestas de Carnaval event takes prior to the holy 40 days of Lent every February. People dressed in traditional costumes join the festivities, which include Flamenco dancing, and a parade. One more highlight of this festival is the stalls selling traditional pottery and artifacts.^[21]

Transportation[link]

Airport[link]

City view from the port.

The city is served by Málaga Costa Del Sol Airport, one of the first in Spain and the oldest still in operation. In 2008, it handled 12,813,472 passengers,^[22] making it the fourth busiest in Spain. It is the international airport of Andalusia accounting for 85 percent of its international traffic. The airport, connected to the Costa del Sol, has a daily link with twenty cities in Spain and over a hundred cities in Europe (mainly in United Kingdom, Central Europe and the Nordic countries but also the main cities of Eastern Europe: Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Budapest, Sofia, Warsaw, Riga or Bucharest), North Africa, Middle East (Riyadh, Jeddah and Kuwait) and North America (New York, Toronto and Montreal).

Seaport[link]

The Port of Málaga is the city's seaport, operating continuously at least since 600 BC. The port is one of the busiest ports on the Mediterranean Sea, with a trade volume of over 428,623 TEU's and 642,529 passenger in 2008.^[23]

High speed trains AVE S-112 nicknamed "Pato" ("Duck") in Málaga's Maria Zambrano station.

High-speed train[link]

The main rail station is Málaga-María Zambrano Station which is connected with Madrid and then Barcelona and France. On 24 December 2007, the high-speed train AVE came into service, reducing travel time to Madrid to just two and a half hours (see also Córdoba-Málaga high-speed rail line and Madrid–Seville high-speed rail line).

Roads and highways[link]

The A45 road leads north to Antequera and Córdoba. The Autovía A-7 parallels the N-340 road, both leading to Cadiz to the west through the Costa del Sol Occidental and Barcelona to the east through the Costa del Sol Oriental.

Urban Bus[link]

Empresa Malagueña de Transportes´^[24] buses are the main form of transport around the city. Málaga's bus station is connected with the city by the bus line number 4, although it is only ten minutes walk to the Alameda from there.

Metropolitan Bus[link]

Málaga Metropolitan Transport Consortium´s (Consorcio de Tranpsporte Metropolitano del Área de Málaga) ^[25] buses are the main form of transport around the city of Málaga and the villages of the Metropolitan Area.

Mass transit[link]

The city has two commuter train lines Cercanías and a metro system is under construction.

People[link]

Antonio Banderas and Pablo Picasso

• Solomon ibn Gabirol (1021–1058), philosopher and poet
• Abu Muhammad Abdallah Ibn Ahmad (1188–1248), scientist
• Ruy López de Villalobos (1500–1544), explorer
• Juan de Ovando y Santarén (1624–1706), poet
• Francisco de Leiva (1630–1676), playwright
• Diego de Veintimiglia y Rodríguez de Santisteban (??-1706), Marquess of Cropani, politician
• Fernando Ortiz (1717–1771), sculptor
• Luis de Unzaga (1721–1790), politician
• Rita Luna García (1770–1832), actress
• Juan María Maury (1772–1845), poet
• María Manuela Kirkpatrick (1794–1879), aristocrat
• José de Salamanca (1811–1883), Marquess of Salamanca and Count of los Llanos, businessman and politician
• Jorge Enrique Loring y Oyarzábal (1822–1900), Marquess of the house Loring, businessman and politician
• Eduardo Huelin Reissig (1822–1891), industrial businessman
• Antonio Cánovas del Castillo (1828–1897), Prime Minister of Alfonso XII
• Amalia Heredia y Livermore (1830–1902), collector and investigator
• Manuel Domingo Larios y Larios (1836–1895), Marquess of Larios, businessman
• José Denis Belgrano (1844–1917), painter
• José Moreno Carbonero (1858–1942), painter
• Rafael Mitjana y Gordón (1869–1921), composer
• Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), artist
• Bernardo Giner de los Ríos (1888–1970), architect and politician
• Ana María Delgado Briones (1890–1962), Maharaní of Kapurthala, singer
• Victoria Kent (1898–1987), lawyer and politician
• Emilio Prados (1899–1962), poet
• Manuel Altolaguirre (1905–1959), poet
• Miguel de Molina (1908–1993), singer
• Francisco Palma Burgos (1918–1985), artist
• Antonio Molina (1928–1992), singer
• María Victoria Atencia (1931 -), poet
• Juan Madrid (1943 -), writer and journalist
• Marisol (1948 -), singer and actress
• Antonio Banderas (1960 -), actor
• Miguel Ángel Jiménez (1964 -), professional golfer
• Carlos Álvarez (1966 -), baritone
• Antonio de la Torre (1968 -), actor
• David Delfín (1970 -), fashion designer
• María del Mar Rodríguez Carnero, La Mari (1975 -), singer
• Juan García Postigo (1981 -), Mister World 2007
• Ana López Rodríguez, Anni B Sweet (1987 -), singer
• Pablo Alborán (1989 -), singer

Twin towns – Sister cities[link]

Málaga is twinned with:

See also[link]

• Malaga (wine)

References[link]

Sources[link]

• The Alhambra from the Ninth Century to Yusuf I (1354). vol. 1. Saqi Books, 1997.
• Guia Viva, Andalucia, Anaya Touring Club, April 2001.
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company. 

External links[link]

Find more about Málaga on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Images and media from Commons
	Learning resources from Wikiversity
	News stories from Wikinews
	Quotations from Wikiquote
	Source texts from Wikisource

• Málaga travel guide from Wikitravel
• Málaga images
• University of Málaga
• Málaga Tourism
• Málaga Travel and City guide (English)
• Montes de Málaga Natural Park (Spanish)
• Málaga.diwiki.org Periódico digital (Spanish)
• Feria de Málaga 2010
• Málaga Forum
• Malaga Metropolitan Transport Consortium
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Ruud van Nistelrooy

Personal information
Full name	Rutgerus Johannes Martinus van Nistelrooij
Date of birth	(1976-07-01) 1 July 1976 (age 35)
Place of birth	Oss, North Brabant, Netherlands
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Playing position	Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1993–1997	Den Bosch	69	(17)
1997–1998	Heerenveen	31	(13)
1998–2001	PSV Eindhoven	67	(62)
2001–2006	Manchester United	150	(95)
2006–2010	Real Madrid	68	(46)
2010–2011	Hamburger SV	36	(12)
2011–2012	Málaga	28	(4)
Total		449	(246)
National team‡
1998–2011	Netherlands	70	(35)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 May 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13 May 2012

Rutgerus Johannes Martinus "Ruud" van Nistelrooij (Dutch pronunciation: [ryt vɑn ˈnɪstəlroːi̯] ( listen); born 1 July 1976) is a retired Dutch footballer. He is the second-highest goalscorer in Champions League history with 60 goals. He is a three-time Champions League top scorer, as well as a top scorer in three different European domestic leagues. He was a pure goal scorer known for his shooting ability, calmness in front of goal and positioning.

Van Nistelrooy began his career with Den Bosch, before moving onto Heerenveen, eventually making a name for himself at PSV Eindhoven where he won two Dutch leagues. His goalscoring record at PSV attracted attention from Manchester United; a deal was in place in the summer of 2000, but because of injury problems his move was secured a year later for a then British record fee of £19 million. His time at United was successful, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and FA Community Shield, along with winning the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year twice. Van Nistelrooy hit 150 goals in just 219 games for United, as well as being their all time European record goalscorer, but fell out of favour towards the end of his tenure. Real Madrid then secured his services in 2006. Although an injury blighted the end of his days with Madrid, he did win La Liga twice and the Supercopa de España before signing for Hamburg during the January transfer window in 2010. After a season-and-a-half with Hamburg, he moved back to Spain with Málaga in the summer of 2011. His retirement from football was announced on 14 May 2012.

Club career[link]

Early career[link]

Born in Oss, North Brabant, Van Nistelrooy started his professional career in 1993 with Dutch second division side Den Bosch, where he was converted from a central midfielder to centre forward after playing part-time for Nooit Gedacht and Margriet. After netting 12 goals in 31 games in the 1996–97 campaign, he transferred for €360,000 to Heerenveen the next year, and scored 13 goals in 31 matches in his only season with the club. He was then signed by PSV Eindhoven the next season for €6.3 million, a then-record transfer sum between two Dutch teams.

He scored 31 goals in 34 matches, the highest season total in the Eredivisie and second-highest in Europe overall, in addition to scoring all three of PSV's goals in a Champions League match against HJK Helsinki on 25 November 1998. Van Nistelrooy capped off the year by winning the Dutch Player of the Year award. The next season, he won his second Eredivisie scoring title with 29 goals. According to a 2001 interview with The Telegraph, Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson said that his son Darren, who was at tryouts for Eredivisie rival Heerenveen at the time, begged his father, "You've got to sign Van Nistelrooy right away, he's fantastic. We've been watching him."^[2] Ferguson sent team representatives to PSV's next league game and signed Van Nistelrooy the next day.^[2]

Van Nistelrooy looked set to complete an £18.5 million transfer to Manchester United in the summer of 2000. A press conference had been called to confirm Van Nistelrooy's arrival, but instead this was used to announce that the transfer had been delayed over concerns about his fitness. Days later, he suffered ruptured cruciate knee ligaments during a training session and the deal was axed.^[3] When the transaction was completed in April 2001, United were forced to pay PSV an additional £500,000 for the player's services due to the change in exchange rates between Euro and Sterling.

Manchester United[link]

Van Nistelrooy playing for Manchester United against Chelsea.

Van Nistelrooy signed a five-year contract after passing his medical.^[4] He downplayed United's £19 million investment to reporters, saying "The price is not heavy for me – it lifts me up because it means United have big confidence in me."^[2] During his first season, Van Nistelrooy scored 23 goals in 32 league games. He broke the record he shared with Mark Stein, Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry, by scoring in eight consecutive league games. He also scored 10 Champions League goals, and was named the PFA Players' Player of the Year.

The following season, he finished as the top Premier League scorer with 25 in 34 games, including three hat-tricks, and he ended the season on another eight-game scoring streak.^[5] He started the 2003–04 season by scoring twice in his first two league matches, which boosted his goals in consecutive games record to 10 matches in a row. He scored his 100th goal for the club in a 4–3 victory over Everton on 7 February 2004. He scored two goals, one a penalty, in United's victory over Millwall in the 2004 FA Cup Final.^[6]

Van Nistelrooy missed most of the 2004–05 season due to injury, but nonetheless scored a Champions League-best eight goals. One of them was his thirtieth career European goal, which he scored in a 2–2 Champions League group stage draw with Lyon on 16 September 2004, overtaking Denis Law's previous club record of 28 goals. Law later said to reporters, "I'm delighted for Ruud. It could not happen to a nicer guy."^[7] Manchester United were eliminated by eventual finalists Milan in the knockout stage after going scoreless in both legs.

At the start of the 2005–06 season, Van Nistelrooy scored in United's first four Premier League games. He finished as the second-highest league scorer with 21 goals, behind Arsenal's Thierry Henry. By the end of his fifth season with United, Van Nistelrooy had amassed 150 goals in fewer than 200 starts.

Van Nistelrooy shields the ball during a match against Tottenham Hotspur.

Van Nistelrooy was benched for the League Cup Final against Wigan Athletic, fuelling speculation of a rift between him and coach Alex Ferguson, which Van Nistelrooy denied. He was nonetheless left on the bench for six consecutive league matches, and though he then returned to the starting line-up and scored match-winners against West Ham United and Bolton Wanderers, fresh doubt spread over Van Nistelrooy's future when he was benched for United's season finale win over Charlton Athletic. Ferguson claimed that Van Nistelrooy was angry at the decision and left the stadium three hours before kick-off. On 9 May 2006, Setanta Sports reported that Van Nistelrooy's exclusion from the squad was due to a training session fight between him and team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo. Van Nistelrooy allegedly criticised Ronaldo's tendency to hold onto the ball instead of passing to his team-mates, which sparked the fight, after which Van Nistelrooy remarked, "Go crying to your daddy."^[8] The article claimed that this was not a reference to Ronaldo's father (who had died earlier in the season), but to United's Portuguese assistant coach Carlos Queiroz.^[9]

Van Nistelrooy signed with Spanish La Liga side Real Madrid on 28 July, departing Old Trafford after five seasons with a total of 150 goals in 220 appearances. With 38 goals, he is also the club's all-time European top goalscorer.

Real Madrid[link]

Van Nistelrooy playing for Real Madrid.

On 15 July 2006, Ferguson confirmed that Van Nistelrooy wanted to leave Manchester United and Real Madrid announced two weeks later that he had signed a three-year contract after being purchased for €24 million.^[10]

Van Nistelrooy scored a hat-trick in his second league match against Levante and, on 12 November 2006, he scored all four of Real Madrid's goals in a 4–1 victory over Osasuna. He won the league's Pichichi award with 25 goals as Real Madrid took home the 2006–07 title, and he also equalled the longest consecutive scoring streak in La Liga history with seven straight matches, tying a league record shared by Hugo Sánchez.^[11]

In January 2008, Van Nistelrooy signed a contract extension keeping him with Madrid until 2010, with the expiration date one day shy of his 34th birthday.^[12] He underwent ankle surgery in March,^[13] and returned for the El Clásico derby against Barcelona on 7 May, in which he netted a penalty two minutes after coming on as a substitute.^[14] He finished the season with 20 goals in 33 appearances.

In November 2008, Real Madrid announced that Van Nistelrooy would miss the remainder of the 2008–09 season after exploratory arthroscopic surgery revealed a partially torn meniscus in his right knee, with an expected recovery time of six to nine months following a second operation to repair the damage.^[15] Van Nistelrooy travelled to the United States to see specialist Richard Steadman, who had previously operated on the same knee back in 2000. At the time of his injury, he had 10 goals in 12 club appearances for the season.^[16] Following the injury, he was de-registered by Real Madrid for the rest of the 2008–09 season, and his shirt number was given to Dani Parejo. On 24 August 2009, in the last preseason game before the start of La Liga, Van Nistelrooy stepped on the pitch for the first time since his injury and played the last fifteen minutes of the game against Rosenborg, substituting Kaká. Van Nistelrooy came on for Cristiano Ronaldo in the 80th minute against Xerez in his first La Liga match since recovering from his injury. In the 81st minute, he provided the assist for a Benzema goal, following it with his own 88th minute goal. However, during his strike, he picked up a thigh injury. It was revealed by Real Madrid that he would be out from first team action for up to six weeks.^[17] On 27 October, Van Nistelrooy made his second comeback of the season coming on as a substitute for Raúl in the 71st minute against Alcorcon in the Copa del Rey.

Hamburger SV[link]

On 23 January 2010, Van Nistelrooy signed an 18-month contract with the German club Hamburg until June 2011.^[18][19] He made his first appearance for the club, coming off the bench in the last two minutes of Hamburg's 3–3 draw with Cologne on 6 February.^[20] Van Nistelrooy scored his first two goals for Hamburg on 13 February 2010 against Stuttgart in the 75th and 77th minutes of a 3–1 win, after entering the game just a few minutes prior.^[21] On 11 March 2010, Van Nistelrooy scored his first Europa League goal in the 40th minute of Hamburg's match against Anderlecht.^[22]

On 15 August 2010, Van Nistelrooy scored his only competitive hat-trick with Hamburg, in a 5–1 win over Torgelower SV Greif during round 1 of the 68th season of the DFB-Pokal.^[23] On 21 August 2010, he scored a brace in Hamburg's season opener against Schalke 04, which HSV won 2–1. During that match he played against his friend and former Real Madrid team-mate Raúl, who made his Bundesliga debut.

Van Nistelrooy scored 7 goals and made 2 assists in 25 appearances in his only full season with Hamburg.^[24]

Málaga[link]

On 1 June 2011, Van Nistelrooy arrived at Málaga CF to sign a one-year contract with the La Liga club on a free transfer.^[25]

On 1 October 2011, while playing against Getafe, he scored his first goal for Málaga. On 21 December, against the same club, he opened the scoring with a volley as Málaga won 3-2 on aggregate.

On 14 May 2012, he announced his retirement from football at the age of 35.

International career[link]

Van Nistelrooy has 70 caps and 35 goals for the Netherlands. He made his debut for the national team in a friendly match against Germany on 18 November 1998.^[26] However, the cruciate ligament injury which postponed his transfer to Manchester United also ruled Van Nistelrooy out of Euro 2000.^[27]

Van Nistelrooy (front) with Robin van Persie

As the Dutch failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, Van Nistelrooy did not make his tournament debut for the Netherlands until Euro 2004, where he and the Czech Republic's Milan Baroš were the only players to score in all three group stage matches. During a 2006 World Cup qualifying match, he scored in the Dutch's 4–0 hammering of bottom-placed Andorra and was yellow-carded for going to Andorra player Antoni Lima and celebrating in front of him, following an incident six minutes before when Van Nistelrooy missed a penalty and Lima laughed at him.^[28] He was a part of coach Marco van Basten's squad for the 2006 World Cup finals, for which he served as the official FIFA/SOS ambassador.^[29] He started, and was substituted, in all of the Netherlands' group stage matches, and scored his lone goal against the Côte d'Ivoire. Van Nistelrooy was dropped to the bench for the Netherlands' second round match, which saw them eliminated by Portugal.

Van Basten left the striker out of the squad for a friendly against Ireland on 16 August 2006.^[30] Dirk Kuyt replaced Van Nistelrooy in their next match against Portugal in September.^[31] After Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was unavailable for Euro 2008 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Belarus due to injury, Van Nistelrooy refused Van Basten's request to take his place on the roster.

On 23 January 2007, Van Nistelrooy announced his retirement from international football following some disputes with coach Marco van Basten.^[32] However, after several phone conversations and at the persuasion of veteran Edwin van der Sar, both player and coach put aside their differences. Van Basten announced four months later that Van Nistelrooy was returning to the Oranje.^[33][34] On 8 September, Van Nistelrooy filled Huntelaar's spot, as previously requested, for the qualifier against Bulgaria, scoring in a 2–0 victory,^[35] and scored the winning goal four days later in injury time of the Netherlands' win over Albania.

At Euro 2008, Van Nistelrooy scored for the Netherlands in their decisive 3–0 victory over Italy in the group stage, and scored the equaliser in their eventual 3–1 loss to Russia in the quarter-finals. On 4 August, he again announced his retirement from international competition.^[36][37]

During the build up to the 2010 World Cup Van Nistelrooy again made himself available, but was left out by Van Marwijk, the Dutch team coach.^[38]

After main striker Robin van Persie suffered an injury during a match with his club Arsenal, Van Marwijk gave Van Nistelrooy a chance to reclaim his position as the main striker of the Netherlands' national team. Van Nistelrooy was invited to two Netherlands' Group E qualification matches for Euro 2012 against San Marino and Finland.^[39] He scored in the 5–0 victory against San Marino on 3 September 2010.^[40]

He was again recalled to the squad in March 2011 for two Euro 2012 qualification games with Hungary, after injuries to strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Arjen Robben and Theo Janssen.^[41] In the away game on 25 March he appeared as a late substitute for Dirk Kuyt^[42] while in the return game in Amsterdam four days later he came off the bench to score his 35th international goal.^[43] adding it is 'wonderful to be able to add something to this Oranje team', as he told Berend Scholten.^[44]

Personal life[link]

Family[link]

Van Nistelrooy married his girlfriend, Leontien Slaats, in July 2004.^[45] The couple had their first child, a girl named Moa Annette, in September 2006, and a son named Liam in March 2008.^[46][47][48]

Charity work[link]

Van Nistelrooy and his wife are both heavily involved with the charity organization SOS Children's Villages. The organization has been around since 1949 and is an international development charity which serves to protect the interests and rights of children. Van Nistelrooy was officially appointed "FIFA for SOS Children's Villages" Ambassador in the Netherlands on 1 September 2001.^[49]

On 17 November 2009, Van Nistelrooy and his wife hosted SOS at Real Madrid City. The purpose of the event was to help create a calendar which would be sold to benefit the organization.^[50]

Statistics[link]

Club[link]

As of 13 May 2011^[51]

International[link]

Van Nistelrooy (right) with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar^[52] in training prior to UEFA Euro 2008. Van Nistelrooy originally announced his retirement from international duty before the tournament, before rejoining the team for the tournament and retiring again. He returned to international duty for a March 2011 qualification match for UEFA Euro 2012 against Hungary, in which he scored to help Holland win.