By Barrington Jayden Henry
Malaga surprises with rich tradition and community.
Malaga Cathedral. Danielmlg86. CC BY-SA 3.0 ES.
In early April of this year, after nearly three months of my semester abroad in Prague, I was eager to spend my spring break in a brand new city, and definitely wanted to visit a much warmer place than the Czech Republic. I decided to spend five days in Malaga, Spain, the heart of Andalusia. In contrast to the overexposed cities of Barcelona and Madrid, Malaga retains a strong sense of tradition and charm that exemplifies the region. Although I admit I was most attracted by the warm weather and the beaches, I was lucky enough to visit on the tail end of the city’s famed Semana Santa, a lavish celebration of Christian Holy Week that occurs the week before Easter and draws visitors from across the world. It was one of the richest cultural experiences I have had on the continent.
It is hard to imagine that a city of over half a million people could feel rustic, but Malaga’s long history and intimate cityscape convey both familiarity and grandeur. Malaga is one of the oldest cities in Europe, dating back to as early as the eighth century B.C.. When I visited the Carmen Thyssen Museum in the old town, I was surprised to see Roman ruins dating back to as early as the first century A.D.. Beneath the art museum lay an extensive ancient structure, made up of a private home, roads and a salting factory for Malaga’s ancient fishing industry. I was hardly expecting to gain such a unique insight into the city’s ancient history during my visit. The modern city is also one of the most beautiful cities that I have visited in Europe, especially as all the balconies and facades were festooned for Semana Santa. Although the city hosts many tourists, the narrow streets of the old town never feel crowded or unpleasant. The many cafes and tapas bars provided a welcome respite from the sun, and the Andalusian cuisine I sampled was some of the most delicious food I had eaten in the entire semester. The peppered prawns fresh from the harbor and the sweet Malaga wine were the perfect reprieve from the endless pilsner and pork knuckle in Prague.
Playa de la Malagueta. Francesca Be. CC BY-SA 2.0.
I had expected lying on the beach for about six or seven hours a day to be the highlight of my trip, but more than anything else, I was truly captivated by the spectacle of Malaga’s Semana Santa. I came into the city on Good Friday. I attended High Mass at the Malaga Cathedral on Easter Sunday, and was amazed to see hundreds of penitents from voluntary Catholic brotherhoods called cofradias, as well as throne-bearers hoisting elaborate thrones of the Passion and the Virgin Mary. As I saw it, Semana Santa was a manifestation of Malaga’s tight-knit community. In my view, you could see in the grimace of each throne-bearer’s face the obligations that each man had toward his neighbor and their shared society.
Playa de la Malagueta. Francesca Be. CC BY-SA 2.0.
My visit to Malaga was the longest trip of my semester abroad, but I am glad I spent the better part of the week in the city. It was by far one of the most valuable cultural experiences I had during the semester, even as I had largely planned to lie on the beach and sip tinto de verano for the duration of my stay. Malaga didn’t let me laze about, however; the city presented itself as a place worth truly knowing.
Barrington Jayden Henry
BARRINGTON JAYDEN HENRY is from the Atlanta area and is a senior at Vanderbilt University, studying political science and history. Jayden is also the host of the weekly radio program I Want to Tell You Something on WRVU Nashville. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis, reading, and going to museums.