Mazarron Torre de los Caballos in Bolnuevo

A 16th century watchtower built to protect against Berber pirates

The Torre de los Caballos is part of a defensive system against the constant incursions by Berber pirates, which threatened the Murcian coastline between the sixteenth and early eighteenth centuries.

The proximity of this region to the African coast made it a natural target for the pirates who traded in the African ports, and requently raided the Murcian coastline, taking hostages which were either ransomed or sold as slaves in the markets, livestock and anything saleable.

By the mid 16^th century Mazarron was occupied by around 2100 people, who worked in the mines or earnt a living through fishing or agriculture, but due to the constant threat of attack it was decided to construct a series of watchtowers which could give the townspeople the opportunity to seek shelter when pirate ships approached.

In total Mazarrón had 5 towers, stretching from LAzohia, now under the control of Cartagena, to Bolnuevo, with the Torre del Molinete set slightly back from the coastline to facilitate internal communication.

Each was built as a defensive structure and was entered via a rope on the second floor, but their primary function was to give warning of attack, using smoke signals by day and fire by night.

This tower is known to have been completed by 1577 as municipal records clearly show expenditure for an impending state visit, and by 1660 was being used by Bolnuevo fishermen as a net store, but had certainly fallen into disrepair by the middle of the 18^th century. 

It's attached to the Ermita de la Concepcion, a building which was completed in 1949, and from which the Virgen sallies forth on the 17^th November in Romeria to Mazarron, a custom which dates back to 1947. 

This is linked to the famous Fiestas del Milagro, also known as the Bolnuevo sardine festival, which is celebrated on the Sunday following the 17^th November annually. Click Iglesia de la Purísima for the legend.

Opening Hours

Winter opening hours, every week, except main national Bank Holidays (updated Jan 2016)

Friday 5pm to 8pm

Saturday 10am to 1pm and 5pm to 8pm

Sunday 10am to 1pm

Summer opening hours every week, except main national Bank Holidays (updated Jan 2016)

Friday 6.30pm to 9.30pm

Saturday 10am to 1pm and 6.30pm to 9.30pm

Sunday 10am to 1pm

To be on the safe side, call the tourist office if making  a special visit on 968 594 426 first to check.

Click for map, Torre de los Caballos, Bolnuevo Mazarron.

There is no entry charge.

It´s worth visiting for it´s excellent views, and the history and information behind the construction of the tower and miracle of the Virgen are interesting, and a good place to take visitors. It´s also close to several very nice cafes, and can be combined with a visit to the Bolnuevo erosions , Punta de Gavilanes  or nearby Salinas at the Playa de la Pava which are also nearby or any of the other sites of interest within Mazarron.

The only thing to be aware of is that there are steps and no lift, so is not suitable for those who may be unable to climb up 2 flights of stairs.

Other Watchtowers in the Mazarron area.

The second tower in the series has already been completed, the Torre del Molinete, and the third is awaiting funding, the Torre de la Cumbre or Torre de Santa Isabel which is near to the La Cumbre Hotel in the Puerto de Mazarron.

Sadly this had been refurbished some years ago and would have been an attractive spot for local residents, but vandals have graffitied the sides of the building and the garden areas fallen into ruin.

Once this third tower is reformed it will make an interesting tourism route for visitors to follow the trail of the watch towers.

The fourth originally stood on the location of the lighthouse, although this is still well worth visiting as there is a magnificent figure of Christ on the hilltop which gives superb views around Mazarron and is a really nice place to go for a walk on a summers evening.

The nearby L' Azohia tower comes under the control of Cartagena council.

The Romeria of the Virgen del Milagro, Bolnuevo, Mazarron

The roots of this celebration go back to the year of 1585, at a time when Mazarron was a village living in fear, constantly at risk from attack by Berber pirates, known more commonly today as The Moors.

With hills rich in valuable minerals surrounding the village, mined since the times of Roman occupation nearly 1500 years before, Mazarron had a chequered history with a series of Arab, Visigoth, Roman and Christian occupations, and in the 1500s was a catholic town.

At this time, pirates frequently attacked the coasts, carrying off whatever they could , including the residents, and it was a fairly common practice for both arabs and Spanish to exchange prisoners, one moor for one catholic.

The legend of the Mazarron miracle began this way, following an exchange of prisoners, the man involved in the swap being a man called Mami. He had once worked in Mazarron, but was now working as a servant to the pirate Morato Arraez, who was standing on the deck of his ship looking at Mazarron with a view to attack. Legend says that the first step of the miracle of the Virgin of the Purisima was his intervention, his act of persuading the Captain to hold back from a full attack, and send out a scouting party, because of the good treatment he had received in Mazarron when working there himself in the mines.

Stage 2 occurred when the scouting party approached the village,  creeping up as men sat outside playing cards. Miraculously as they played, the evening bells rang out, announcing the sunset and fall of night, but for a reason no-one has ever managed to explain, that night the wrong bell rope was pulled and the alarm signal rang, alerting the town to the approach of pirates. The cardplayers leapt to their feet, one man shouting out in frustration that he had 14 horses, a term that apparently was significant to the card players, but which lead the muslim invaders to assume that a mounted force had anticipated their attack and that 14 horsemen awaited them , intent on slaughter, so rushed back to the beach.

At this point, a woman appeared on the beach, radiating light, arms raised to the heavens, a spectacle which terrorized the scouts to such an extent that they fled from the beach, throwing their arms into the sea and the boat sailed away from the waters of Mazarron, saving the village from certain pillage and probable destruction.

The villagers went to the hermitage of the Concepcion to give thanks for their delivery and realized to their amazement that the lamp shining out next to the statue of the Virgin shone without oil, that the head of the Virgin was turned towards the sea, and her robe was wet with seawater and peppered with sand.

Many testified to having seen this miraculous event, and this was borne out years later when white flowers mysteriously bloomed on the beach, announcing to all that there had indeed been a miracle in Bolnuevo.

Each year the virgen is carried from her hermitage into Mazarron, then returned in triumph to Bolnuevo. It´s an extremely popular Romeria for both Spanish residents and ex-pats alike, thousands gathering on the beach following the Romeria to enjoy a barbeque and relaxing afternoon.

Click for report following the 2010 Romeria, Bolnuevo, Fiestas del Milagro.