The corner guards of Malaga
Architectural Corner Protectors
Corner guards are elements that are perfectly integrated with the architecture of the old buildings in the historic centre of Malaga, and that go almost unnoticed by our eyes. They are sometimes recycled elements from old buildings, such as columns, posts or stone pillars.
Their primary function was to protect the corners of buildings, preventing the wheels of carts from colliding and causing damage. They were also placed on the sides of walkways and paths, delimiting the area where these vehicles circulated so that they did not go off them. This custom was preserved until the use of sidewalks began to become widespread.
We will comment on some that you can easily find with just a walk through our historic centre.
In the vicinity of the Puerta Nueva Wall, on Calle Compañía corner with Calle Fajardo, there is a corner guard on which the Carmelite shield is represented, since this building most certainly belonged at some point to this order. We see how some of the Carmelite emblems are represented on this shield. A stylized mountain with rounded sides, and whose summit projects towards the sky, referring to Mount Carmel, the place of origin of the Carmelite Order, which is located in Haifa, Israel.
The next curb will take us to Andrés Pérez Street, specifically to the Church of the Aurora and Divine Providence of the Reverend Dominican Mothers, which was built in 1787. On the curb, a dog is represented carrying a torch or candle in its mouth, which reminds us of the dream that Saint Dominic's mother had before he was born. She dreamed that a dog came out of her womb with a lit torch in its mouth. Unable to understand the meaning of this dream, she decided to seek an explanation by going to Saint Dominic of Silos, founder of a famous Benedictine monastery nearby. She made a pilgrimage to the monastery to ask the Saint to explain the dream to her. There he understood that his son was going to light the fire of Jesus Christ in the world through preaching. In gratitude he named his son Domingo, like the saint of Silos.
Another guardrail is on the corner of Calle Arco de la Cabeza and represents the Dominican shield, a shield that always accompanies the figure of Saint Dominic and is also frequently found on the seals of the order, a medallion inside which a fleur-de-lis Greek cross appears. This link between the lily and the Dominican family comes from the family of its founder, in the arms of Saint Dominic's mother, the fleur-de-lis cross also appears: a red cross with fleur-de-lis finials. The Dominican cross when coloured, highlights the white and black colours representative of the Dominican habit.
Also on the corner of Calle Arco de la Cabeza with Pasaje Gordon, a lily or fleur-de-lis is represented on its guardrail.
The fleur-de-lis is a symbol of power, sovereignty, honour, loyalty, and also of purity of body and soul.
On calle Granada, in the Solecio Palace, we find a guardrail that refers to the illustrious businessman Félix de Solessio, who lived in the palace during the time of King Charles III, and was the promoter of the first deck of Spanish cards sold exclusively in the Americas, made entirely in the Malaga town of Macharaviaya.
On the corners of calle Pastora with Alameda Principal and calle Panaderos, we can find some very special guardrails. The one on the south corner represents two coiled fish and the one on the north corner the head of a smiling young man. Perhaps it reminds us that this place was once occupied by the sea and that currently the Antigua Casa de Guardia winery serves to bring a smile to everyone who comes to taste its wines.
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