Algaba de Ronda | English summary

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Centro Algaba de Ronda

Centro Algaba de Ronda, an educational initiative for the conservation and diffusion of the historical and cultural heritage of the rural environment of the Serranía de Ronda.

The work realised by the Centro Algaba de Ronda responds to the social need to promote the knowledge and conservation of the patrimonial wealth of the rural world, with special reference to the Serranía de Ronda, in four main areas:

1. Investigation and diffusion of historical heritage: the experimental archaeological reconstruction of a prehistoric settlement to provide a direct and participative knowledge of Neolithic culture.
2. Conservation and diffusion of rural heritage and culture via the promotion of ecological agriculture and husbandry plus programmes for the recovery of traditional seed stock and native cattle breeds in danger of extinction.
3. Raising of cultural and environmental awareness via educational programmes for the conservation and study of Mediterranean moorland
4. The setting up and running of the Education and Conference Centre as an infrastructural service for users and as dynamic centre for all the proposals of the project.

It comprises three main areas:

El Cortijo

The ‘Cortijo’ of La Algaba is a spacious and stately farmhouse of more than two centuries old, which has been renovated and restructured using traditional building techniques. It can cater for conferences and meetings of all kinds and has been designed for a range of educational and recreational activities. It offers a variety of spaces for such uses, including is a lecture hall equipped for multimedia presentations and capable of seating up to 50 people. There are also attractive individual rooms for meetings, tutorials and seminars plus an ample dining hall, exhibition spaces, library and open air classroom and dining spaces.

La Finca

The ‘Algaba’ estate is the perfect setting for guided botanical and ornithological routes as well as a range of other activities. All of the routes and activities offered place emphasis on participation and discovery, encouraging direct experiment, exploration and interpretation of the environment.

Visitors can also see specimens of old breeds of cattle that are in danger of extinction and form part of an on-going project in organic husbandry that is dedicated to their protection and recovery.of such as pajuna, cardenas, berrendas negro and coloradas, negra andaluza. There are other projects in progress, such as one done in collaboration with the University ofGranada, involving old varieties of wheat that have been sown using methods that were available to the zone’s Neolthic inhabitants.

El Poblado

‘El Poblado’ is an on-going, large scale, archaeological experiment, aimed at investigating the relationship between Prehistoric human settlers, their technology and their environment. Its lay out is based on documented archaeological research and follows a plan similar to that of late Neolithic sites that have been discovered locally, such as those of ‘Acinipo’ and ‘Silla del Moro’. It features a high, defensive, stone wall surrounding a space occupied by wood and stone dwellings that have been built using primitive techniques. There are also workspaces for pottery making, basketry, flint knapping and other activities plus zones for keeping livestock.

Via this on-going project ‘La Algaba’ provides an environment for discovering the prehistory of the Serranía de Ronda in particular and human prehistory in general, offering talks, workshops and research facilities geared to this purpose. Visitors can also see examples of pots, basketry, stone tools and other implements that have been made in or around the settlement.

Assessment And Collaboration.

Behind the ‘Algaba’ project is a team of professionals in the fields of investigation, education, art and leisure. The project also receives help, assessment and collaboration from a range of individuals and institutions including the Prehistory Departments of the Autonomous University of Madrid and the University of Granada.

Accommodation And Catering.

Algaba can facilitate accommodation in a small rustic cottage and a dining hall seating 50 people, unique to the groups that visit us, where traditional Mediterranean food made with locally grown and organic produce is available. 

Parties involved.

The Algaba de Ronda SCA, in collaboration with various Spanish universities and other educational institutions and associations, proposes the design of practical and experimental activities for divulging awareness of the patrimonial wealth of the Serranía de Ronda.These are aimed at a broad, heterogeneous group that requires the design of specific programmes: students of all levels who are interested in knowing more about the natural and historical heritage of the area, visitors looking for an alternative way of getting to know the Mediterranean landscape and countryside, workers, businessmen, all thoseinvolved in the rural and agricultural world, teachers, research workers who require the use of the centre’s installations for their studies in experimental archaeology, agriculture or forestry, plus all those who use the infrastructure and installations ofthe Education and Conference Centre.

The project addresses the need to stress the historical, cultural and environmental heritage of one of the areas of Europe with the highest incidence of tourism and urban growth. From prehistoric times to the present the environment has been closely related to the life of the societies of the region and forms part of its identity. The Algaba´s educational and cultural programmes provide the means necessary for the visitor to appreciate this. Hundreds of students, scientific researchers and professionals from a variety of fields, both from Spain and abroad, have seen at the Algaba estate how prehistoric societies lived and have deepened their knowledge of the Mediterranean woodland.

Evaluation.

The evaluation made of the Algaba Project by the diverse participants and experts that have taken part in the programmes and conferences held at the estate has been positive, deeming as satisfactory the quality of the installations, the environment and the work of the staff. Evidence of the social esteem of the activities of the Algaba Centre are the prizes it has been awarded,among which we highlight: European Prize Europa Nostra,Category 4: Education, training and awareness-raising, prize for best business initiative from the Junta de Andalucía, prize for best tourist initiative in the province, Malaga, Provincial Prize for the Environment, GAIA.