eir largely Catholic subjects. At Almuñécar the fish curing industry declined rapidly.
Muslims
The first Arab invasion of southern Spain came in 711 AD at or near Gibraltar. At Almuñécar, the town remembers 15 August 755 when Omeya Abd ar-Rahman I of Damascus, the founder of the Emirate of Cordoba, arrived from North Africa to establish his Arab kingdom. The Moors introduced the growing of sugar cane and sustained the fishing industry and many of the streets and buildings of the old town were developed by the Moors. The castle remained the stronghold of the city and the seat of government and its walls strengthened. Extensive dungeons were built for those out of favour, but also baths for the use of those in charge.
The cross on 'Peñon del Santo' the rock at the old harbour entrance marks the defeat of the Arabs, their surrender at Almuñécar, and the return of Christianity in 1489 followed by a century of co-existence.
Christian
Following the restoration of Christian rule, new architectural statements were made, the building of a new church was started in 1557 and completed to the latest design in 1600, the first Baroque style church in the Province of Granada. The old town was also Christianised (or perhaps paganised - by the Goddess of fertility herself) as in the water fountain on the Calle Real (Royal Street) dated to 1559 and with the royal cypher above but at that time using the existing Roman water supply from Las Angosturas, first installed 1500 years earlier.
The castle was again extensively rebuilt and placed under the patronage of San Miguel. It was rebuilt and heavily fortified by the Christian King Charles III and last defended (by the French) in the Napoleonic Wars. Just one tower was partly destroyed but also most of the internal buildings. This was the work of the British crew of HMS Hyacinth, acting in collaboration with
