Ojen Andalucia |
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Ojen is a town which sits in the mountains behind Marbella in Andalucia, Southern Spain. Its name is derived from an Arabic word, hoxán, meaning "rough" or "bitter" place, and was established by the Moors. In common with other inland villages such as Istán, Ojen was allowed to survive the Christians' embargo on Moors living too close to the sea after the Reconquest. Ojen is situated beside the Almadán stream above the valley of the rio Real at an altitude of approx 200 metres, hemmed in by the Sierra Blanca and Sierra Alpujata. Both ranges of mountains have long been known as rich sources of talc, nickel, iron and lead. This mineral wealth put the area in the forefront of the Spanish industrial revolution of the 19th Century. Ojén used to be famous for the production of the anise liqueur, aguardiente, which many Spaniards take each day with their morning coffee, and it once played a major part in the town's economy. Close by, in the Serrania de Ronda, is the Refugio de Juanar. Originally the private hunting lodge of the wealthy Larios family, and a favoured retreat of King Alfonso XIII, this is now a hotel popular with tourists and hunters. The Serrania is still very much a hunting reserve where ibex, wildcats and eagles abound. It is also a favourite with ramblers and hikers who come for the mountain air and the stunning views of Marbella and the coast 1000 metres below. |
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