Spain: Málaga Cathedral

January 2018

Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica de la Encarnación de Málaga

Málaga Cathedral (or church, or basilica) is one of the few in Europe I visited three times and never entered. Due to Málaga being such a tourist hot spot, the locals must have reasoned that they could fleece visitors for as many euros as possible when in their city. Considering that the cathedral is not that extraordinary compared to other churches in Spain (some of which are free or very cheap), I passed on the opportunity three times. I was far more taken by the city's old castle/fort and gladly paid that entry ticket.

The Cathedral of Málaga is a Roman Catholic church in the city of Málaga in Andalusia in southern Spain. It is in the Renaissance architectural tradition. The cathedral is located within the limits defined by a now missing portion of the medieval Moorish walls, the remains of which surround the nearby Alcazaba and the Castle of Gibralfaro. It was constructed between 1528 and 1782, following the plans drawn by Diego de Siloe; its interior is also in Renaissance style.

(Wikipedia)

Worth noting: Spain supported US independence from Britain and the port of Malaga figured prominently in trade during the American Revolution. To defray the cost of finishing the cathedral, ships were all taxed to use the port (which earned a lot of money). The money earmarked for the unfinished tower was ultimately used for another project. Governments have not changed it appears.

Over time, the city was built up close to the church itself and even its "plaza" is so small that it is nearly impossible to get a good photo of the entire building without using a wide-angle lens that distorts the shape. I remember the same for some old churches in Barcelona - it was hard to get a good look at them from the outside.

The church does prove a point to me though - anything with an entrance fee in a location flooded with visitors will make money. People flying to the city from the UK or arriving on a cruise ship are literally primed to spend money. The church only needs to collect it. A huge queue of "cruisers" waited for the opening of the church when I passed it by that morning for the third time.

No thank you.