The municipal district of Fuengirola occupies a narrow stretch of the coastal terrain between the Jardin brook to the northeast and the mouth of the Fuengirola river to the southwest. In the northern extreme the landscape is hilly and there, where there are no urbanizations, it is covered with scrubland, while the rest of the relief has smooth undulations and is practically plain. In these areas, apart from some really residual plots, the surroundings are urban right up to the border of the Fuengirola river. To the extreme south, the hill on which the castle stands and the mouth of the river momentarily interrupt this panorama before it returns in the neighbouring municipality of Mijas.
The coastal position of Fuengirola, the same as with other coastal towns, must have attracted the first settlers since old. Nevertheless, the first datum we have, refer to the Phoenicians, who arrived here in order to make commerce with the towns of the area. They were the founders of Suel, the name which this locality would have until the Arab era.
With the arrival of the Romans it acquired great relevance, reaching the category of a federated city of Rome, which allowed it to maintain a law-code and their own institutions, the same as what happened with the city of Málaga.
The Arabs changed its name and called it Sohail, the name of a star in the Argus constellation, which according to tradition, could only be seen from the castle which still conserves the most part of its walls today. This castle was built by Abderramán III in the mid 10th century and was practically destroyed in the Christian conquest of 1487. After this conquest the coastal defence was fortified and some centuries later, in the 18th century, the castle was rebuilt with the purpose of avoiding the intense contraband registered in the area. This castle continued to serve its defensive mission until the War of Independance, in which it was used by the French.
The Castle of Sohail is found on a small, isolated hill at the mouth of the Rio Fuengirola. The slopes of this hill have been colonized by the Punic and Roman peoples. In the 12th century the Almoravides built a defensive enclosure of 8 walls and towers. In 1485 the castle was occupied by the Christian army who were fighting the Nazari kingdom of Granada.
You can visit the castle Wednesday to Friday from 10am to 2.30pm or Saturday and Sunday from 10.30am to 4pm.
From the 18th century, the town gained importance as a supply centre for the boats going to the Gibraltar straits and changes its name to Fuengirola, derived from the term “girona”, appointed to the Genoese vessels dedicated to grocery, of whose presence was frequent in this Málaga port. The term “boliche” (grocer) has remained in the annexe of Santa Fe of Los Boliches, now practically united to Fuengirola.
