Macharaviaya

Macharaviaya is a municipality in the province of Málaga located in the beautiful mountains of Andalusia in southern Spain. It is part of the region known as La Axarquía. The village was built on the site of an old Moorish settlement, and its name comes from an old Arabic phrase meaning "Abu/Abi Yahya's Farm/Grove".

The village was once home to the noble Gálvez family. One of its members, Matías de Gálvez y Gallardo, served as the viceroy of New Spain. His son Bernardo, who was born in Macharaviaya, later became Governor of Louisiana. During the American Revolution, Bernardo successfully captured important towns like Baton Rouge, Mobile, and Pensacola from the British forces.

Today, Macharaviaya is known for its preserved historical center and is home to many artists from Spain and other countries. Each August, the village celebrates a special festival in honor of its patron saint, Bernard of Clairvaux.

Main sights

Macharaviaya has several interesting places to visit. You can see the Church of San Jacinto and the Templete de los Gálvez. There is also a local church in Benaque called the Iglesia mudejar. Its tower used to be the minaret of an old mosque. Additionally, there is the Museo de Gálvez to explore.

Twin towns

Macharaviaya has two twin towns, both in the United States:

• Pensacola, United States
• Galveston, United States