Its full name is the Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica de la Encarnación de Málaga and is one of the jewels of the Spanish Renaissance, being absolutely essential in any visit to the capital of the Costa del Sol. However, nobody calls it this way, it is not even known by the inhabitants of the city as the Cathedral of Malaga. Its popular name is “La Manquita”, a nickname that refers to the unfinished state of one of the towers that compose it.
In your visit to Malaga you cannot miss the most important monument of the city: its Cathedral. But your experience will be very different if you organize well this point of the itinerary, because it will help you to enjoy this relic in depth and to live it as it deserves. That’s why in this article we tell you everything you need to know about the Cathedral of Malaga before you go, both its location and its history, as well as the points where you should stop and the conditions of entry.
Where the Cathedral of Malaga is located
Let’s start with the basics. The Cathedral of Malaga is located in the historic center of the city, so it is centrally located and close to other points of interest in the capital such as the Picasso Museum, the Roman Theater, the Plaza del Mercado and the live flamenco show hall Alegria, among others.
Specifically, it is located on Molina Lario Street, 9. But the truth is that you can’t miss it because, due to its height, it can be seen from almost anywhere in the city, which has become an icon for locals and tourists who visit it.
A bit of history
The Cathedral of Malaga was actually built over the Great Mosque, as is the case with other Spanish monuments of the peninsula. This happened in the 15th century, specifically in 1487, when the city was reconquered by the Castilian troops of the Catholic Monarchs.
In this first moment only a conversion takes place, dressing the Cathedral of Malaga with decorative elements of the late Gothic style. It was not until the sixteenth century when they began to make expansion and transformation works until it was decided to replace the structure with a completely new one.
Its construction process was full of difficulties and delays due to disagreements and economic limitations, and it was inaugurated even though there were still many meters to be built. But it was in 1768 when it was finally opened to the public as we know it today, although they continued making repairs and finishing some points, as in fact the two towers were still to be finished.
The works were again paralyzed, leaving, among other things, one of the towers unfinished, which currently gives it its popular nickname, since it was never finished. In the twentieth century, the houses attached to the Cathedral were demolished to isolate it from the surroundings and in the Civil War it lost much of its artistic heritage. However, in the 40’s began its recovery period and in recent years much work has been done for its conservation, allowing visitors to enjoy it.
The most interesting parts of the Malaga Cathedral
One of the essential things to enjoy the Cathedral of Malaga is to have an audio guide while on the tour. And the best thing is that, in this case, the basic ticket includes it completely free of charge in up to ten languages. There are even audioguides for children in which the story is adapted to a younger audience so that the little ones can also enjoy the tour.
As you can see in this image, these are the most important points of the visit to the Cathedral of Malaga and where the audio guide stops.
We can not forget the roofs of the Cathedral of Malaga, that is, its roof located almost fifty meters high. From there, and after climbing about two hundred steps, you can get incredible views of the whole city and you can also see the vaults. It is really worth the effort.
Unfortunately, March 31, 2024 was the last day that the roofs could be accessed, as work began and is scheduled to be completed in three years. So sadly we will have to wait to see the spectacular scenery that was offered from the top of the Cathedral of Malaga and is known as the best panoramic views of the city.
Prices and opening hours of the Cathedral of Malaga
To access the Cathedral of Malaga you can buy the ticket both in person at the ticket offices located at the door of the monument and online at the same price on the official website of the Cathedral. The advantage of booking online in advance is that you avoid possible queues.
The general admission is priced at 10 €. Then, we find different rates depending on whether the visit is made in a group of more than 15 people (7 €) or if visitors are students between 18 and 25 years (7 €), young people between 13 and 17 years (6 €), over 65 years (9 €) or school children under 12 years in a group (4 €).
Admission to the Cathedral of Malaga is free for certain people, such as citizens or residents of the city, people with disabilities and children under 13 years of age. However, this option does not include an audio guide.
The official website also launched in August a ticket with which, in addition to visiting the Cathedral of Malaga, you could access a VR (virtual reality) experience. In this case, the general admission ticket is priced at €15.
As for the schedule, the visit can be made every day, but the timetable changes:
- Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 20:00.
- Saturdays and holiday eves from 10:00 to 18:00.
- Sundays and holy days of obligation from 14:00 to 18:00.
Please note that the last access is allowed 45 minutes before closing time, so plan your visit well in order to enter in time.
You can also opt, although without a guide, for the free access that takes place from Monday to Saturday between 8:30 and 9.00 and on Sundays between 8:30 and 9:30. With this access you can experience the Cathedral of Malaga for free and in a quieter way before more people start arriving.
