Atarazanas Market

In front of you is the only visible remnant of Nasrid Málaga's shipyard. The word atarazana comes from Arabic and means workshop or house of construction – in this case, for ships. It's hard to imagine, but in the Middle Ages the water came almost up to here: this arch was one of the gateways through which boats came in.

1Seven arches, one survivor

The original building had seven arches. The one you see, a pointed horseshoe arch, is the grandest. The coats of arms beside it date it to the reign of Muhammad V of Granada, in the second half of the 14th century. Over time the sea retreated, and the shipyard became a barracks, a military hospital and a warehouse, until it was almost in ruins.

2An iron market

In 1868 the Revolutionary Junta decided to pull down what was left of the walls to give work to the poorest and to build a covered market, since the city's markets were all in the open air. Joaquín de Rucoba, the same architect as Calle Larios, put it up between 1876 and 1879, with an iron frame cast in Seville and Les Halles in Paris as inspiration. He kept the Nasrid gateway, though he dismantled it and rebuilt it about 25 metres forward of its original position.

Inside, a large stained-glass window from 1973 depicts Málaga's monuments. Anyone can walk into the market.

3What to look for

• The marble horseshoe arch, with its alfiz frame and coats of arms.
• The ironwork on the sides, imitating Andalusi plant motifs.
• The fish stalls: this is where locals buy anchovies from the bay.