Benavista History

Estepona's History is also Benavista's History. Since it is a large urbanisation of Estepona. Estepona and Benavista has been occupied by the Phoenicians, the Romans and the Moors (Arabs). It was the Moors who occupied Estepona and Andalucia the longest. There are very few vestiges of those times left, just fortifications, walls and watch towers.

In 1456 Estepona and Benavista was reclaimed by Spain from the moors and from this moment on the history of the town was fully recorded. The instability of this historical period meant that a year later it was re-conquered by King Henry V of Castile, who ordered the building of the Castle of San Luis. Later on the coastal area was further fortified by the construction of an additional two watch-towers as an increased defence against the attacks of sea-going marauders and pirates. Estepona secured its independence from Marbella's jurisdiction in a privilege granted by Felipe V in 1729 when it had just over 600 inhabitants.

Estepona and Benavista's most important monument is the parish church of La Virgen de Los Remedios, which combines Rococo and Latin American architectural styles. It was used as a monastery by the Franciscan fathers of the tertiary order from 1725 until 1766, before being abandoned in 1835 because of laws of dispossession.

Other monuments include the Torre del Reloj or Clock Tower, the construction of which was ordered by Henry IV in 1474. There are also a number of historically interesting houses dotted around the area which used to be the homes of aristocrats, such as the Marquis of Mondejar and the Casa de la Borrega.

The watch-towers which can be viewed along the municipal district coast are of Roman/Phoenician origin and were restored and enlarged under Moorish rule, later becoming valuable as a defence against pirates. The remains of the Castillo El Nicio, on the slopes of the area known as El Padron, are part of a Moorish settlement that used to be of importance during the Arab occupation.

There are also several archaeological sites from the Roman period. Estepona has a large fishing fleet (one of the largest on the Coast after Fuengirola) and fish markets are held every day from about 6am in the morning when the fishermen return from the sea with their fresh catches.

Local crafts in the area consist of ceramics and leatherwork, since there are still many dedicated individuals who traditionally manufacture such goods as part of their family heritage.