More Ronda

As mentioned in an earlier post, Ronda is situated on the top of a couple mesas. These two mesas are connected by three bridges. The newest, Puente Nuevo, was started in 1759 and took 34 years to build. From this bridge you can look down into the gorge of the Guadalevín River some 120 meters below.



The surrounding area is quite beautiful.

The vistas are only interrupted by distant mountains

Like standing at the ocean and seeing the endless emptiness, looking at the rolling hills and mountains is very calming. It adjusts you sense of place in the world.

This one is open for tours and we could walk out on the sandy floor of the bull fight. There is a museum under the bleachers of this round facility. It looks for all the world like a Roman coliseum and we are down with the lions.

One of the special places is the Arabic baths location outside the city walls down by the river. This facility, modeled after Roman baths, brought in river water, heated it and created a hot steam room, a warm room for relaxation and massage, and a cold room for a cold bath. The warm room is filled with columns to hold up the roof over the large open area.

Looking from the steam room through the warm room to the cold one and the outside, we see the characteristic moorish keyhole arch shape.

The building is surprisingly well preserved for a place that was built in the 13th century.

Even the details of the columns are preserved.

Back outside, we had to climb back up the hill we came down to get back to the city. But on the way, we could see the near vertical sides of the gorge that separates the two parts of the city.

Just can't get enough of the views in this place.