Roman theatre, Acinipo.
Those visiting Ronda or travelling to Seville should consider
this detour. The impressive stone build entrance gate looks out
of place as it leads into a farmyard complete with chained
but friendly dogs.
Don't be put off. Walk up the hill in the direction of the large monument past numerous large piles of stones marking the location of houses. The piles of stones were made by farmers over the ages to recover arable or grazing land area. There is a little evidence of excavation in this area named "Domus".
The ruins of this 32 hectare city are located at 1.000m above
sea level. This is an urban are that thrived in the first century
AD when it had a population of 5.000. It was mentioned in Plini
and, inscriptions to Geninn Oppidi, to the god Marse and to Victoria
Augusta have been found. The city even minted its own money, which
features bunches of grapes. It later gave way to the town of Arunda
where Ronda now sits, probably because the new site was easier to
defend. Acinipo fell in 429 AD.
There was also a Bronze age settlement here between
1,100 and 750 BC. Near the car park the visitor can see the foundations
of circular huts with the floor paving still in place. In one area
a sign identifies the forum. Some large foundation stones and troughs
can be seen. In this area excavations have found numerous buildings
with emblems. This has lead archaeologists to believe that they
must have belonged to public buildings.
Bronze age settlement.
Reaching the top of the escarpment behind the large monument,
the visitor is suddenly rewarded with the sight of the Roman
theatre, large enough to seat 2,000 people and in good
condition - complete with an orange tiled orchestra pit and actors'
changing rooms. It is suggested the theatre was started in 65 AD
and completed about 200 AD. A modern steel stage has been constructed.
In May 2001 The First Acinipo Festival of Classic Greek and Roman
Theatre took place organised by the "Asociación Cultural de
Teatro Grecorromano de Málaga" No information is available
at the site. The casual tourist arriving at the entrance by car
would not even realise the existence of the theatre and would miss
this archaeological gem by deciding not to climb the hill to look
behind the large monument visible from the entrance.
The latest area to be excavated and partially restored is the "Thermas" or baths. These are located near the lower perimeter fence and can be visited on the way out.
Opening Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday to Saturday: 10.00 to 17.00
Sunday: 09.00 to 14.00
Entrance: Free
How to Get to Acinipo
Leave Ronda in the direction of Seville. After 10 km and descending down to cross the river and the railway you will see a sign on the right for Acinipo and Ronda la Vieja. Take this small road (MA-7402) uphill for about 12km. Map
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