| Gaucin like Casares, is another Andalucian 'white | | | | to kidnap Christians for ransom. Gaucin was in fact |
| village' perched on a rock buttress overlooking the | | | | connected with the coastal watchtowers built to look |
| River Guadiaro. At a height of 626 metres it | | | | out for these pirates. The mudejars were in turn |
| commands a view of the surrounding area as far as | | | | hunted by ex soldiers and ruined farmers who sold |
| Gibraltar and Africa. | | | | them into slavery. The area became a lawless |
| Gaucin is the most western point of the | | | | no-mans land until some order was restored at the |
| Serranía de Ronda, Penibética. Some of | | | | end of the 17th Century. |
| its peaks are over 2000 meters high, and it is crossed | | | | In 1704 the British took Gibraltar but left Gaucin to its |
| by the Genal, Guadiaro (River of gold, so-called by | | | | own devices. By the end of the 18th Century many |
| pre-Roman inhabitants) and Hozgarganta rivers. To the | | | | British Gibraltarians used Gaucin as a summer resort, |
| east are the Sierra Bermeja mountains with Los | | | | taking advantage of the cooler mountains. Then |
| Reales the most prominent peak, and to the south | | | | followed a turbulent period. |
| Casares and the peak of Sierra Crestellina. To the | | | | In 1808 the French invaded Gaucin and, following a |
| west is the broadening river valley that widens out to | | | | bloody battle, razed the town and stole its treasures. |
| the plains surrounding Gibraltar. | | | | Bandolerismo again took over as the main occupation. |
| The first inhabitants of the Gaucin area were Paleo | | | | The British occupation of Gibraltar provided an |
| and Neolithic cave dwellers and they have left cave | | | | opportunity for the Contrabanistos who smuggled |
| paintings in the vicinity. They were succeeded by the | | | | English goods into Spain from Gibraltar. An occupation |
| Iberians to judge from the ceramics found in the | | | | that lasts to this day. |
| castle's water deposit who were, in turn, removed by | | | | Gaucin was again sacked during the Carlist wars by |
| the Phoenicians. The Phoenicians established the first | | | | the anti monarchists who then imposed heavy taxes |
| gold mines nearby. | | | | on the population. Although unpopular, this did lead to a |
| The Romans arrived in the area around 400BC and | | | | period of comparative stability in the area and English |
| realised that Gaucin was the easiest route to the | | | | tourists started to visit the Hotel Nacional in Gaucin in |
| interior. They built a road, the Camino de Gibraltar, | | | | larger numbers. This stability only lasted until the Civil |
| which is still used and in parts is intact. During the | | | | War. Many people were shot before Gaucin was |
| Roman occupation the first castle was built although | | | | captured by the nationalists in 1936. Again the |
| nothing remains of it today. | | | | population was impoverished and turned to banditry |
| In the 5th Century Gaucin was invaded by the | | | | and smuggling. Many in Gaucin still remember this |
| Visigoths. They called the town Belda. Their occupation | | | | period. |
| lasted 200 years. In 714AD the Moors invaded and | | | | Around Gaucin and within Los Alcornocales National |
| used the Roman roads to good advantage. The | | | | Park varieties of oak, chestnuts, almonds, St. |
| Moors renamed Belda, Gauzan and it became the | | | | John´s bread (algarrobo), poplars, elms, willows |
| westernmost outpost of the Kingdom of Granada and | | | | and pines grow in abundance. In the valleys fruit trees |
| the site of many battles. Gaucin remained under the | | | | include the pomegranate, quince, and fig. Herbs like |
| Moors until 1457 when the town was liberated by King | | | | thyme and rosemary grow on the crags and the area |
| Henry IV although many Moors (mudejars) remained | | | | is renowned for wild flowers. |
| until the 16th Century. | | | | In some of the wilder areas you may be lucky to see |
| Due to many rebellions against the Catholic monarchs | | | | foxes and wild cats, mongoose, martens, badgers, |
| by the mudejars they were almost constantly at war | | | | weasels, moles, porcupines, bats, and wild boar which |
| against the crown and during this period many people | | | | inhabit the countryside around Gaucin. Gaucín is |
| returned to Morocco or became vagrants. Gauzin | | | | also a major point for viewing the migratory birds from |
| became depopulated. There are local tales of | | | | Africa that have crossed the straits and, like the |
| Moroccan pirates allying themselves with the mudejars | | | | Romans, choose the easiest route to the inland areas. |