Canete la Real
Canete la Real is a Spanish municipality in the province of Malaga, Andalucia, located on the northwestern boundary of the province. It 
is a border town between the Serrania de Ronda and Antequera, and rises 742 meters above sea level.
Areas adjacent to Canete are north Almargen (Malaga), El Saucejo and Algamitas (Sevilla), on the east Teba, Ardales southeast and Burgo; southwest Cuevas del Becerro and Ronda, west Alcala del Valle Olvera and Cadiz.
The slopes of the mountains surrounding the town are covered with forests of oak and scrub pine that climb between limestone rocks. The majority is scrub vegetation consisting of rosemary and thyme.
Among the wildlife that inhabits it one can find the griffon vulture, Bonelli’s eagle, owls, (birds that are threatened with the windmills of the wind farms made recently with the rejection of part of the population Caneteros), foxes and cat hillocks.
The main river is in the municipality of Guadalteba the Ortegicar River, traverses the southern township and caters to the reservoir of the same name. The Corbones, a tributary of the Guadalquivir River, was born in the land of The Watchtower, a district of Canete la Real.
The origin of the name dates back to the Arabic Hisn-Cannit, Hisn-Qanit or Qanit, meaning castle CanIt or, as the author is consulted, the term refers to Cannit pipes that still exist around the urban area. The current name derives from that term, to which they added the qualifier Real, following an order of Alfonso XI.
History
Archaeological excavations resulted in ceramic fragment findings by the villagers who lived near the present town 3,000 years ago. The Iberians established their base on a hill near the village they called Sabor. In Pliny’s time there was Civitas Stipendiary (city tax) of Conventus Astigitanus.
However, the difficult terrain and weather conditions (strong winds swept across the city) galvanized in the year 78 AD, the inhabitants of the Emperor Vespasian Sabora requested the transfer of the city to a more flat and fertile area. The Emperor sent the embassy in early August, Kalends accessing what the saborenses requested.
In gratitude, the people of Sabora minted coins in which Emperor Vespasian appears dressed as a warrior with shield and spear in his left hand and two pins on the right. It was also recorded in bronze the letter sent to the Emperor saborenses (the famous tabula Vespasian air found in the time of Charles V, and which was the museum of the Escorial).
After the Muslim invasion of the early eighth century, there was a gradual conversion to Islam, which meant the change of name. It was at this time the fortified building that is known as the Castle of Canete (Hisn-CanIt) was built. The exact date of its construction can not be clarified, although we know that soon became the rebel service.
After converting to Christianity, Awsaya ibn al-Khali, head of the Berbers of the area would make Hins CanIt rondena one of the main foci of the Mozarabic revolt. Years later, in 906, the strength of Canete Takaronna on land was taken by assault and possessed a permanent garrison.
Conquest Initiated by the Christian kings, reached the gates of the hosts of Canete Fernando III the Saint, in his drive to conquer Seville (1246).
Conquered by the Castilian King Alfonso XI in 1330 confirmed to the town the title of Royal, who according to tradition had been given after the barbarian invasions, by the Visigoth king Witiza.
Decades later he would suffer another troop attack, in this case the entry that made Pedro I in 1362, during which Muslims won seats in El Burgo, Ardales, Canete, Turon and the Caves. Six years later, in 
1368, taking advantage of a crisis in relations between the Christian kingdoms, Grenadians charged again and were conquered by the Castilian king.
In October of 1407 it was reconquered by the son of Master of Santiago Gomez Suarez de Figueroa, building a new entry in which there was a long siege on the castle Setenil, receiving information on the small garrison which kept the strength of Canete under the pretext of running round the ground until he approached the walls of this town.
But it was in 1482 after the conquest of Ronda and its mountains, when it moved permanently into Christian hands. Such skirmishes lasted for nearly a century, leading to the almost complete destruction of the fortress, which is currently the subject of extensive restoration programs.
Attractions
One of the many aspects that deserve special mention in Canete la Real, is the remarkable preservation of their local government archive files and documents saved since 1530. The church of San Sebastian stands out among the buildings of the town. It is rich in gold carvings, paintings and retablos.
