Andalusia, the southmost region of Spain, is geologically of somewhat recent origin. In the tertiary period the sea still washed the southern shores of the Iberian tableland, until a pressure acting in a direction from S. to N. gradually lifted up a new coast in long parallel folds, while the Mediterranean forced a new passage to the ocean through the Straits of Gibraltar (comp. p. xxix). Latest of all appeared the Guadalquivir Bay, the highest point of whose coast scarcely rises 490 ft. above the sea. The coast-hills, which have their counterpart in the Rîf Mts. on the African side (p. [93]), stretch in the main from E. to W., descending abruptly to the sea. Transverse fissures, in which volcanic activity is still indicated by frequent earthquakes, divide the coast into several different chains, which culminate in the Sierra Nevada (11,421 ft.; ‘snow-mountain’), the highest peak in Spain. The W. chain (Serranía de Ronda) trends round to the N. In contrast to the Andalucía Alta, the folded region facing the Mediterranean, the Andalucía Baja, the basin of the Guadalquivir, opens towards the Atlantic. The Guadalquivir (Arabic Wâd al-Kebîr, ‘the great river’), the Bætis of antiquity, rises indeed in the Sierra de Cazorla, apart from the coast-mountains, but receives its more copious affluents, particularly the Guadiana Menor, from the Sierra Nevada. After a wild career it enters the plain beyond Montoro, becomes navigable at Cordova, and even carries sea-going vessels at Seville.
[5]. Fuller details in Baedeker’s Spain and Portugal.
The History of the country dates from hoar antiquity. It was the Tarshish of the Bible, being already named in the generations of Noah (Gen. x. 4), and was called by the Greeks Tartessós, the home of precious metals, especially of silver, the source of the wealth of Tyre. Here, too, are the rich copper mines of Rio Tinto and Tharsis, which were already worked in the ancient Iberian age. The Mediterranean peoples contented themselves with visiting the harbours established in the bays of the coast, leaving it to the natives to bring the produce of the interior down to them across the mountains or by the river Bætis. Thus arose, probably even before the foundation of Cadiz, the Phœnician towns of Málaca (Málaga) and Kalpe (Gibraltar), besides other small settlements. About 1100 B.C. Gadîr or Gades, the westmost of these, appears in history, and afterwards became dependent on Carthage. The art of writing, the first and most potent aid to commerce, was propagated from Gades, which thereby laid the foundation of the higher civilization of the peninsula. Summoned to their aid by the Gaditanians, the Carthaginians, who had already gained possession of the Balearic Islands, invaded Iberia. After the Punic Wars (p. [345]) came the domination of the Romans, who in 27 A.D. gave the whole of S. Spain the name of Provincia Baetica. On the break-up of the Roman Empire Andalusia was overrun by the Vandals (p. [322]), the Suevi, and the Visigoths. At length the Arabs and the Berbers of Morocco obtained a footing here, after they had crossed the Straits of Gibraltar under Târik (p. [54]). By them this region, and afterwards the whole peninsula which they conquered, were named El-Andalûs (‘land of the West’). Down to the 13th cent. the Moors occupied Andalusia, and it was not till 1492 that Granada was captured by Ferdinand V., the Catholic.
These vicissitudes in the country’s history are still reflected in its present Inhabitants. Half African, half European, like the Maltese, the Sicilians, and the Sardinians, the Andalusians have inherited something of the character, the customs, and the language of all the nations that once held sway in this region. To this day the Andalusian dialect swarms with Arabic words; almost all the terms used in agriculture and irrigation are Arabic. The popular dances and music are of Oriental origin. To their Oriental ancestry the Andalusian (Andaluz, Andaluza) also owes his exuberant imagination. There can be no greater contrast than that which the calm and proud Old-Castilian presents to the volatile and excitable Andalusian, who is apt to substitute fancy for fact, who sees everything as through a magnifying glass, and who is therefore much given to exaggeration (fanfarronadas). On the other hand nothing can be more charming than the bearing of an Andalusian ‘maja’, who is admired rather for her wit, her grace, and her power of repartee than for her beauty. The Sal Andaluza is as proverbial as the Attic ‘salt’ of the ancients.
Andalusia can boast of possessing, not only some of the finest and most interesting Moorish Buildings in Spain, such as the mosque at Cordova, the Giralda and Alhambra at Granada, but also several of the grandest monuments of the ‘reconquista’ period. Among these are the Alcázar of Seville, one of the most brilliant creations of the so-called Mudejar, or Moorish-Christian style, and the grand cathedrals of Seville and Granada in the Gothic and ‘plateresque’, or Spanish early-Renaissance, styles.—Nor is the Scenery of this region less attractive. Andalusia may be said to stand in the same relation to Spain as Sicily to Italy, or as Provence to the rest of France. It combines all that the rest of the peninsula possesses locally or partially. To the E. are vast plateaux and steppes, frozen in winter and parched in summer; to the S. rise snow-clad mountains; on the S.W. are the sand-dunes of the Atlantic coast; olive-groves thrive on the Guadalquivir; and on the shores of the Mediterranean are well-watered vegas where the cotton-plant, the banana, and the sugar-cane flourish.
Mediterranean Travellers will hardly have time for more than a circular tour from Gibraltar to Tangier, Cadiz, Seville, Cordova, Granada, and back to Gibraltar, or, in unfavourable weather, to Algeciras, Bobadilla, and Seville only. The Spanish railways (see the Guía general de Ferrocarriles; 1 p., smaller edition 75 c.) are far inferior to the British or to the French, and their speed is very low. The natives travel mostly in the second or third class, but the carriages cannot be recommended. The first class often has a berlina, or coupé-carriage with four seats, which affords an unimpeded view (higher fare).
In the larger towns one may book luggage (facturar el equipaje) 1–2 hrs. before the departure of the train, at the despacho central, or town-office. Booking it at the station itself is a very slow process. As in France luggage up to 30 kilos (66 lbs.) is free. The ticket for it is called a talón or boletín de equipaje. The porter (mozo), often most importunate, receives 30–50 c. or more.
Andalusia possesses few first-class hotels. The better second-class inns are similar to the French and Italian. Even for a stay of a single day it is usual to pay an inclusive charge for bed and board (pupilaje, from 6 to 20 p.). Déjeuner or lunch (11–1 o’clock) is called almuerzo; dinner, comida (at or after 7); table-wine, vino común or de mesa. No allowance is made for meals omitted. An extra charge is often made for breakfast (coffee, etc.), which Spanish travellers usually take in their own rooms. Notice of departure should be given as early as possible, lest a whole additional day be charged for. The usual fee to the servants (camarero, waiter; muchacha, chamber-maid; mozo, boots), who are apt to be lazy and inattentive, is 1 p. per day, divided among them, or more in proportion for families.
The beer-houses are called cervecerías. The cafés are usually open in the afternoon and evening only. Café con leche is coffee with milk; café solo is without milk. Newspapers (periódicos) are not provided by the cafés. Tobacco and cigars are a government monopoly; the shop is called estanco; there are also special shops for the better Havana cigars.
The post-offices (correo), even in the larger towns, are often open for a few hours only. The hours for obtaining poste-restante (cartas en lista) or registered letters (cartas certificadas) are often changed; the addressee must show his visiting-card (tarjeta) at the office. Stamps (sellos de correo; for the town 10, country 15, abroad 25 c.) and post-cards (tarjetas postales, 10 c.) are obtainable at the tobacco-shops only. Telegrams (telegramas) must be prepaid with special stamps (sellos de telégrafos), for the sale of which there are separate offices.