Nerja is a fishing village of Arab origin and was founded under the name Narxia near a fortress, the ruins of which can still be admired today at Castillo Alto.

 

In the 10th century, the poet Ibn Said Al-Mugrabi refers to a small market town famous for its silk production in one of his poems, thus providing the first written evidence of Nerja's existence. Since the Moors ruled the area for many centuries, many distinctive features of the Muslim tribe can be observed alongside early Roman influences.

 

Only after the subjugation of Vélez in 1487 did Pedro de Córdoba take possession of Nerja, whereupon many Moors left the town and Christians settled in Nerja.

 

In December 1884, a massive earthquake shook a large area of the Axarquía region and parts of the neighboring province of Granada, destroying numerous houses in Nerja. The town was also heavily damaged during the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939.

In this way, Nerja was shaped by various cultures, so that the city's charm, which today attracts numerous tourists from all over the world, consists of an interesting blend of Spanish modernity and Moorish history. Nerja's old town, in particular, still bears the marks of Moorish cultural life.