Abbad Ibn Firnas
Eighth century Ronda poet. Invented a flying machine seven hundred years before Da Vinci, making a succesful proof of his invention at the Arruzafa's hill at Cordoba.
Abu-l-Baqa
Mathematician, poet, lawyer and writer. Born 1204, died in Granada 1285.
Ahumada de las Casas, Pedro Agustín
The first Marquis of Moctezuma. Twice War Minister and member of the Council of Regents during the infancy of Isabel II.
Amaya Flores, Diego (Diego del Gastor)
Born in Arriate in 1908. One of the most original and accomplished guitarists of the 20th century.
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Aniya the Gypsy
Famous Ronda flamenco singer. Aunt of Carmen Amaya. García Lorca praised her in his speech at the first festival of Cante Jondo in Granada in 1922.
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Armiñán, Luis de
Minister of Public Works. Adopted by Ronda for his work on communications between Ronda and San Pedro de Alcántara.
Atienza Huertas, Rafael (Marquis of Salvatierra)
Politician, writer, correspondent and founder of newspapers. Author of "Roman Munda and its connection with the City Of Ronda" in 1857.
Blessed Diego José de Cádiz
Born in Cádiz in 1743. Died of Black Death in Ronda on March 24th, 1801 after a life dedicated to preaching and charity. Capuchin Missionary beatified in 1895.
Espinel y Adorno, Vicente
Poet and musician. Born in Ronda in 1550. Author of "Life and Work of the Shieldbearer Marcos de Obregón". Introduced a new verse form, the espinela. Added the fifth string to the guitar.
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Flores Arrocha, Francisco
Bandit, born in 1896. Originally a goatherd he became an outlaw after killing his father in law and family following a dispute over the ownership of land. Died at the hands of the Civil Guard on December 31st 1934.
Gautier, Teófilo
French journalist, poet and novelist. Born 1811. Romantic traveller to Ronda (like Washinton Irving, Merimée, Ford, ...) and since his travel, fallen in love with our city.
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Giner de los Ríos, Francisco
Philosopher, educationalist and writer born in Ronda in 1839. Follower of Krausismo (Humanist idealist) he refused professorships various times. In 1876 he took part in the foundation of la Institución Libre de Enseñanza (Free Education Institute). Considered as the main inspiration of the generation of '98. Died in Madrid in 1915.
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Girón y Moctezuma, Gerónimo
Lieutenant General to the Royal forces and Knight of the Order of Carlos III.
Hamet el Zegri
Medieval arab warlord, was mayor of Malaga and Ronda. Died as a slave in Carmona.
Hemingway, Ernest
North American novelist. Author of " The Old Man and the Sea" and " Death in the Afternoon". His love for bullfighting brought him to Ronda to see Cayetano Ordóñez.
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Hinojosa, José María (El Tempranillo)
Bandit and smuggler. Held up travellers and collected tolls for free passage. Died after being shot by another bandit.
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Infante, Blas
Born 1885. Politician, lawyer and writer. Andalucian nationalist leader. Killed by Franco's troops.At 1918 he leaded at Ronda the Regional Meeting of the Andalusian provinces. As result of this meeting, he invented the Andalusian symbols: the white and green flag, the arm coat, Andalusia's hymn (written also by Infante) and Andalusia's motto: "Andalusia, for itself, for Spain and for the Humanity".
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Jiménez González, Antonio
Self taught painter born in Ronda in 1933. Has exhibited throughout Spain.
Martín de Aldehuela, José
Born 1719. Architect of the New Bridge in Ronda. Also responsible for parts of the bull ring. Died in Málaga in 1802.
Mérimée, Prosper (1803-1870)
French novelist and historian born in Paris. Merimée is known for his short stories dealing with violence and human cruelty: La Venus d'Ille (1837), Colomba (1840) and Carmen (1846), this last, set in an exotic and romantic Spain, was transformed into a popular opera by Georges Bizet. Mérimée's great interest in Spain led to him making seven voyages between 1830 and 1864. His knowledge of Spanish geography and character is evident in Travels in Spain which is a compilation of his wide-ranging correspondence.
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Mingolla Gallardo, Juan (Pasoslargos)
Hunter and bandit. His way of ilegal hunting caused him several problems. After 60 years hunting and some crimes for revenge, he was shot by the Civil Guard in 1934.
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Moreti, Juan José
Born in Jaén in 1815. Took over his fathers printing press, founding a reading room, recreational library and several newspapers. Author of "A History of Ronda".
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Omar Ibn Hafsun
Born in Júzcar in 854. Of gothic descent he became leader of the muladís (Christians converted to Islam). His campaign for liberty spread throughout al-Andalus, causing a state of permanent revolt that challenged the central power of Cordoba, the Emirs and the first Spanish Caliph Abderramán III. He died of natural causes in 918 in Bobastro.
Ordóñez Araujo, Antonio
Bullfighter. Born in Ronda in 1932. Son of Cayetano "El niño de la Palma". Never thought about violence in bullfighting and scaped from the pathetic theatral acting in search for the tragedy's feeling. Responsible for promoting the Traditional Bullfight in the style of Goya on an international level.
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Ordóñez, Cayetano. (“Niño de la Palma”)
Bullfighter. Born in Ronda in 1904, inspired Hemingway's first bullfighting novel. Father of a dynasty of bullfighters, including Antonio Ordóñez. Retired in 1950. Died in 1961.
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Palmero, Cristóbal
Creator of the Polo, typical Ronda song composed of four verses.
Peinado, Joaquín
Joaquín Peinado was born in Ronda 1898. He was a follower of Cèzanne and considered to be a spiritual son of Picasso, being the most elegant painters of the 'Spanish school' of París. He died in París 1973. The different creative periods of the painter, from 1923, when he moved to París, since 1974, few months before his death, can be observed in the Museum Joaquin Peinado located in Ronda.
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Pérez-Clotet, Pedro
Poet born in Villaluenga del Rosario at 1902 and died at Ronda at 1966. Member of the called "Generation of 1936" was founder and director of the Isla Review, a written testimony of the poet change from the '27 to the '36 Generation.
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Pérez de Guzmán y Gallo, Juan
Born in Ronda in 1841. Journalist, historian and Perpetual Secretary to the Royal Academy of History. Important in Madrid public life and influential in state decisions for his writings. Published more than 60 works and received many awards.
Rilke, Rainer María
Austrian writer born in 1875. In 1912 he visited Spain to see the works of Velázquez and El Greco. He came to Ronda attracted by the climate and the mountains. This visit inspired his "Spanish Epistle".
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Ríos Rosas, Antonio de los
Politician born in Ronda in 1812, lawyer and militant of the Moderate Party, was Deputy, Minister, Ambassador to Rome and President of the State Council.
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Ríos, Fernando de los
Politician born in Ronda in 1879. Professor of Law. Attended the Labour Conference in Washington in 1919 as member of the PSOE. Against the inclusion of the PSOE in the Communist Party he formed part of the provisional government of the Second Republic.
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Rodríguez Delgado, José Manuel
Born in Ronda in 1915. Studied medicine in the University of Madrid. Received the prize Ramón y Cajal in 1952 and the Gold Medal Award in 1974 among others.
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Romero, Francisco
Bullfighter. Born in Ronda. Founded the dynasty of bullfighters that bore his name in the Eighteenth Century. Perfectioned the art of fighting with the small cape.
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Romero, Pedro
Bullfighter. Born in Ronda in 1754. Brought the social standing of his profession to heights previously unknown. Mixed with the aristocracy and was painted by Goya. Founded and directed the Bullfighting School in Seville having killed more than 6000 bulls without once being wounded.
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Ruiz de Alarcón, Gaspar
Captain decorated and rewarded by the king for being the first to breach the walls of the plaza de San Quintín.
Ruiz de Alarcón Juan
Cavalry captain praised by Padre Mariana in his History of Spain for his heroic death during the capture of Coín in the war against the moriscos (Islamic converts to Christianity).
Santa Teresa de Jesús
Religious figure and writer. Together with Saint John of the Cross she reformed the Order of the Carmelites, founding in 1562 the first reformed convent. The relic of her hand can be seen in the convent of la Merced.
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Scholtz Hermensdorff, Trinidad von (Duchess of Parcent)
Lady in Waiting of the Infanta Mª Teresa, distinguished for her many social works.Born in Malaga, but living in Ronda, she founded a craftwork Trade School at the square which today wears her name, briging to Ronda the best master of craftwork. She transformed the Arab King's Palace giving to it its current appearance..
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Ulloa, José (Tragabuches)
Born of gypsy stock in 1780, he inherited his name from his grandfather who once ate a donkey foetus for a bet. Admirer of Pedro Romero he dedicated himself to bullfighting, but upon killing his wife whom he discovered with a lover, he fled to the mountains and took up a life of banditry.
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Valenzuela, Fernando
Spanish Noble, Marquis of Villasierra, Spanish Ambassador in Venice, General of the Coast of the Kingdom of Granada y Prime Minister to Carlos III. From a Ronda family, his house is now the museum of Mondragón, at that time the Palace of Villasierra.
Vázquez, Alonso
Famous seventeenth century painter of the Seville school influenced by Luis de Vargas. His paintings are distinguished for his nude studies and his rendition of velvet. Died in Seville in 1607.
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Welles, Orson
North American director and actor born in 1915. Considered to be the father of modern cinema he was profoundly attracted to the world of bullfighting, becoming a close friend of Antonio Ordóñez in whose estate his ashes can be found.
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