By Jo Williams
The whitewashed hilltop town of Morón de la Frontera rises above the rolling patchwork plain of La Campiña like a mirage. This was once an important centre of a Moorish taifa (state) and named after the place of the Moors. It is dominated by its ruined Medieval castle, with several impressive churches dotted around its narrow pretty streets.
 On the border of Cadiz and Seville provinces, Morón de la Frontera was in an important defensive position and its castle was one of the most important in the area. Later it became home to the nobility, when the duchy of Osuna made it a residence and adorned it with marble fittings and artesanado coffered ceilings. The castle was almost destroyed by the French in 1812. Visit the nearby Paseo del Gallo, a small square with great views over the town.
Declared a site of cultural interest, the Iglesia de San Miguel has a ornate Baroque portal designed by Diego Antonio Díaz and a 17th-century bell tower, built on the site of a Moorish minaret, modelled along the lines of Seville cathedral's Giralda. San Ignacio church dates from the early 18th century and has an impressive Baroque portal, carved from sandstone. Inside is a collection of large oil religious paintings by the Flemish painter Peter van Lint.
Visit the town in July when its annual flamenco festival is in full swing, one of the best known of its kind and known as Gazpacho Andaluz. Established in 1963, it features flamenco baile (dance) and cante (song) and serves the customary gazpacho, the typical Andalucian chilled soup.
The tourist office (turismo) is located on Calle Pozo Nuevo, 955 854 821.
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