Fuengirola

Fuengirola(pronounced[fweŋxiˈɾola]) is a city on theCosta del Solin theprovince of Málagain theautonomous communityofAndalusiain southernSpain. It is located on the central coast of the province and integrated into the region of the Costa del Sol and the Commonwealth of Municipalities of the Costa del Sol Occidental.
It is a major tourist resort, with  more than 8 km (5 miles) of beaches and amedievalMoorishfortress. In common with much of this coast, it has been the subject of considerable urban development.
The area has asubtropicalMediterranean climate, with annual average temperatures of 18 °C (65 °F) and average summer temperatures of over 30 °C (86 °F).
The town has its origins inPhoenician,Roman, and Moorish civilisations.
The foothills of the mountain range behind the town to the south are the site ofSohail Castle, which contains remains of an early Phoenician settlement, later occupied by the Romans, which became a town known in antiquity as Suel. Suel was identified by the Roman historianPomponius Melaas one of the towns of the coast, and was cited byPlinyin the 1st century AD as a fortified town oroppidum. A later historian,Ptolemy, identified it during the 2nd century as being located in the region of the bastulo-penos or Phoenicians.
The inscription on the pedestal of a statue found near the castle mentions Suel as being a Roman "municipium". A funeral urn found in the same area has an inscription containing the word "Suelitana". Roman baths were discovered in 1961 and, close by, the remains of a Roman villa containing two sculptures, one of which is known as the "Venus of Fuengirola", exhibited in the town's museum. A series of architectural components, probably transported from theMijasquarry during the Roman era, were discovered in Los Boliches in 1984; these have now been mounted to form a temple entrance, and are on the promenade at Los Boliches.
The castle was built byAbd-ar-Rahman IIIin the mid-10th century. The city of Suel ceased to be mentioned at the beginning of the Middle Ages.  After several centuries, the name of the settlement changed from Suel to Suhayl, which became the name of the castle and surroundings during theMoorishera. Suhayl became a fairly large settlement, which included farmland and small villages. Most of the surrounding area seems to have been used as pasture for the Moorish rulers' camels. Writer and scholar Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah bin Ahmed (known as Al-Allama Abdul Qasim Al-suhayli)Al-Suhayli("the man from Suhayl") lived there from 1130 to 1203, and later became known as one of the seven saints ofMarrakesh, where he was buried.
In the early Middle Ages the town was set on fire and its inhabitants fled to Mijas. Suhayl became a mound of ruins, and even its name was changed to the Romanised Font-Jirola, after the spring arising at the foot of the castle, according to historian Alonso de Palencia.
In 1485, when only the fortress remained, the settlement, along with the rest of theKingdom of Granada, fell into the hands of theChristian Monarchsin the final phase of theReconquista(reconquest). An attempt to repopulate the site with 30 people failed, and in 1511 it was registered as uninhabited, apart from the fortress and a watchtower. Land originally set aside for Fuengirola was reallocated to Mijas.
In the 17th century, once the threat from Turkish and Moroccan pirates had disappeared, a new urban settlement developed; at the beginning of the 18th century, an inn was opened near the beach, offering accommodation to travellers, muleteers and seafarers. A few huts were built nearby, forming a small village.
TheBattle of Fuengirolatook place in the area during thePeninsular War, on October 15, 1810, when approximately 200 Polish soldiers of theDuchy of Warsawdefeated a mixed British-Spanish force numbering some 3,000 soldiers underLord Blayney.
In May 1841, Fuengirola was administratively detached from Mijas; at the time its inhabitants were mainly engaged in fishing, agriculture and trading with ships that dropped anchor in the bay. For over a century, fishing and agriculture remained the main activities.
In the 1960s Fuengirola started to become a leading tourist centre, eventually having the expected facilities for eating, sleeping, and entertainment. The town has broad beaches along a promenade extending east and west from the town, that includes smaller adjacent villages.
Of the approximately 82,226 (2022)permanent inhabitants registered in the municipality, 25% come from other countries, mainly European, including the United Kingdom, Ireland and Scandinavia, and also from Morocco and Latin America.  In the summer months the town is visited by large numbers of holidaymakers from Spain and abroad, amongst whom are many from the UK. The English-speaking community in particular is large enough to support a fully developed programme of activities and local groups.
Bioparc Fuengirolais a zoo that specializes in captive breeding forendangered species, research on chimpanzee groups and in tropical forest education. It has a series of natural habitats for different species.
Fuengirola has a number of historical sites and open parks. The old port is still used by the local Spanish fisherman. The Moorish castle of Suhayl, or Suhail, remained an abandoned ruin until renovations began in 1995. In 2000 the interior of the castle was completely renovated and theSuhail castlebegan to host festivals and concerts throughout the summer. Additional landscaping was completed in 2002.
The town is largely urban in character, with many high-rise apartment blocks, particularly near the seafront. There are some narrow streets with manylow-risevillas. Considerable commercial and housing development is underway further inland.
Cities on the coast are accessible by bus from Fuengirola, includingMálaga,Estepona,Torremolinos,Marbella,BenálmadenaandGibraltar. The area is also served by theA7motorway; the closest airport isMálaga-Costa Del Sol.
Fuengirola is the end of the C-1 commuter rail servicefrom central Málaga, run byCercanías Málaga. There are two train stations within city lines, Fuengirola and Los Boliches. The C-1 line connects some of the intervening villages along the coast and Malaga/ Costa del Sol Airport.
The railway station is located centre of the city on Paseo Jesús Santos Rein, 5, within 50m from the bus station.
Most cultural activities in Fuengirola take place during the summer. In June, the festival of music and dance is celebrated in the Sohail castle. In this same place is also organized the Medieval market, the Festival of the town of Fuengirola and the Beer Party.Other noteworthy events are: the Cinema Festival of Fuengirola, The International Faire and the International Faire of the Villages, the last two being celebrated between the last days of April and the first days of May, and the International Festival of Latin Rhythms in September. There is a second hand street market every Saturday in the premises of the faire. It is a very famous market in the Costa del Sol where almost any object can be found. On Sundays there is also another market in the Doña Sofía park.
Miramar, a shopping and leisure complex, which opened in early 2004 (and was restyled in 2013) and is situated on the west side of Fuengirola, with direct access to the A-7 motorway. It has an area of 119,000 m, making it one of the Costa del Sol's largest retail areas and is home to national and international retailers, in the fields of fashion, accessories, decoration and services as well as a 12-screen multi-cinema complex and many cafes and restaurants.