The Arabs gave the village its name, which appears to be
derived from Banu Al Madena, meaning “sons of the
mines”, a reference to the important mineral deposits
which had been heavily exploited since Roman times; a number
of archaeological remains pertaining to this period have
been unearthed here, notably a mosaic which can be found
in the Alcazaba Museum in Malaga.
Prior to the Moslem occupation, Benalmadena had been colonised
by Phoenician merchants.
During Arabic times, the castle was an important defensive
structure. After the surrender of Marbella, the Catholic
Monarchs turned their attention to Benalmadena, believing
that the remaining villages on the way to the city of Malaga
would present few difficulties. This was not the case, however,
as its inhabitants, protected by their fortress, offered
stiff resistance, and King Ferdinand was forced to direct
operations himself.
Following its capture in 1485, the castle was totally destroyed
and its inhabitants dispersed.
In 1491, the Catholic Monarchs granted a citizen of Malaga,
Alonso Palmero, a letter of privilege allowing him to repopulate
the area and rebuild the village and its castle under the
supervision of the chief magistrate of the aforementioned
city.
Benalmadena became a key location in the defence of the
coast against the attacks of North African pirates. Remains
of three towers can still be found on the coast: El Muelle,
Quebrada and Bermeja.
Despite the presence of Roman remains and a mosque in Arroyo
de la Miel, a district of Benalmadena, the suburb as we
know it today appeared at the end of the 18th century as
a result of the hydraulic installations and paper and playing
card-producing facilities created by the Galvez de Macharaviaya
family, and the presence of a sugar and honey cane factory,
the sweet residual waters of which gave the area its name
(Arroyo de la Miel translates as the Stream of Honey).
