Competa
Area: 54.7 sq. kms
Number of inhabitants: Approx. 3,000
Descent: Competeños
Monuments: Church of La Asunción, Hermitages of San Sebastián and San Antón,
Barrio Grana
Geographical situation: In the Axarquía, 27.8 kilometres from Vélez and 62 from
Malaga, at 638 metres above sea level
Tourist information:
Town Hall, C/San Antonio, 1. 29754. Phone: 952 516 006 Fax: 952 516 381
The best way to get to Cómpeta from Malaga is to take the Autovía del
Mediterráneo and head for Vélez. Once there, take the road to Algarrobo, passing
through Sayalonga to reach Cómpeta. Cómpeta is a key point on the Ruta de la
Pasa y el Vino (the Route of the Raisin and Wine) of the Axarquía. Its main
industry is agriculture, especially the cultivation of grapes, and the wine
produced in the region, dry and sweet and known as "vino de Cómpeta", has gained
a reputation for excellence that goes far beyond the borders of the municipality.
The other great product of this area is the raisin. It is produced in a
traditional way with all the climatic conditions necessary for top quality
raisins: sun, fresh air and good grapes. The name of the town derives from the
Latin Compita-Orum, which means "the crossing of the ways" or "the meeting
place", and this was the meeting place where the Romans celebrated certain
festivals and did business in
The town centre, known locally as the Cornice of the Mediterranean, covers one
side of the Sierra de Almijara mountains, =ith the result that the streets are
steep with steps in many places. It is also recommended that visitors leave
their cars outside the town centre and walk. A good place to start one's visit
to the town would be calle Barranco Grana, which has won various urban-embellishment
prizes, or calle San Sebastián, which brings us to the higher part of the town
where the views over the town and the surrounding countryside are spectacular.
The Plaza de Almijara is also an essential visit, the Town Hall and Church of La
Encarnación being situated here
Outstanding visits
Church of Nuestra Señora de La Asunción
This is the most important building in the town, situated in the Plaza de
Pantaleón Romero. Its interior is divided into three naves with octagonal
pillars. One of the most valuable pieces inside is the mural of the Asunción,
painted by local artist Francisco Hernández and finished in 1972. The exterior
of the building was restored following earthquake damage in 1893. Work began a
year afterwards with the building of the double access to the spire, and a tower
on the neo-Mudejar style was built in 1935
Hermitage of San Sebastián
The site of this building is thought to have been the town's original centre. It
is a simple structure dating from the 18th century with a single nave, covered
in a semi-spherical vaulted ceiling. The exterior is built in the semicircular
arches on pillars with a simple spire on top. At the other end of the town,
towards the southwest, is the hermitage of San Antón, another simple building of
the 18th century with a certain amount of recent restoration work done on it
Picturesque corners
Cómpeta is an attractive town with many picturesque corners along its narrow and
winding streets. The busiest street is San Antonio, dividing the town into its
two most important barrios: el Barrio and el Monte. This leads to the Hermitage
of San Antón and the spectacular natural lookout point that has given rise to
the name "The Cornice of the Mediterranean"
Nuestra Señora del Carmen Oil Mill
This oil mill was built in 1925, and inside we can still see the mill, the press
and the decanting vats used for the production of olive oil many years ago