The pretty whitewashed village of Sedella is one of a chain of villages situated from, at the one end Cómpeta to at the other end Cannillas de Aceituno and is part of the Ruta del Mudejar (Mudejar Architecture Route).
With a back drop of La Maroma and the Tejeda mountain range this village offers real Spanish life yet is only 30mins drive from the coast at Torre del Mar. The village has history dating back to before 900 and is believed to have had Roman or even Carthaginian origins. It began to expand during the Muslim period and was captured by the Christians in1487. The architecture of the village is typically Moorish with narrow winding streets and examples of Mudejar architecture. San Andres (St Andrew’s) Church, the nearby Casa del Torreon (Turret House) with its adjacent Mudejar tower and the Virgin de Las Esperanza hermitage are particularly interesting to visit.
The countryside around the village is stunning with many lovely walks and places to picnic. The views from this height (690metres) are spectacular and on a clear day the Atlas Mountains of North Africa can be seen.
Sedella now has a growing expat community and one of its best Tapas bars is actually run by a British family. Bar la Plaza can be found in the centre of Sedella in their small plaza.
The village boasts a couple of small supermarkets, a pharmacy, a doctor and even an internet centre that provides free internet access. There are a number of friendly bars and restaurants and a beautiful new municipal swimming pool.
The history of Sedella goes back to pre-historic times, and although no big archaeological finds have been made, there is sufficient evidence to show that people have lived here from time immemorial. Among the objects found in the area are flint axes and other hunting tools. Romans and Carthaginians settled here too, as we can see from coins and ceramic pieces discovered in the area. As for the origin of the town’s name, it comes from the Latin “sedilia”, which means “emplacement or rural possession.” There have been other names: the oldest documentary evidence we have is “Villa del Castillo”, and variations on the Roman name include “Sedille”, dating from the 7th century. This name appears on a map of the diocese ordered to be made by the Visigoth king Wamba. Later, the Malaga bishop Teodulpo refers to the town in an Episcopal address as “Sedilla”. And following the Christian conquest in 1487, the place was called “Xedalia”. But the final word on the town’s name comes from Queen Isabal herself, during the re-conquest. There was, apparently, a fierce battle between Moors and Christians in the area known as the Arroyo de la Matanza. When informed of the battle, the queen replied: “Sé de ella” (I know about it).
