Villa Ciscarejo Country house between orange groves in Gádor (Almería)

In prehistoric times, a period that may date back to the Bronze Age, the Alcazaba hill was already inhabited by small communities. Later, both Phoenicians and Romans used the natural anchorage for the exchange of goods. The first traces of Muslim Almería date back to the 9th century, when Abd al-Rahman ordered a group of Yemenites to guard the coast to prevent the Norman landing. At that time, the present-day town of Pechina (Bayyana in Arabic) was a thriving colony composed of a mixture of native and Muslim populations, and its coastal district was Almería. Exactly where the third section of the Alcazaba now stands, there was a watchtower called Al-mariyar Bayyana (Bayyana Watchtower), hence the name Almería.
Founded in 955 by Abd al-Rahman III, the city developed into one of the great capitals of Al-Andalus and its most important port. It reached its peak with the declaration of an independent kingdom in 1012, giving rise to the Taifa of Almería. Remains of the city's Muslim era can be found throughout Almería, but the most significant is the Alcazaba, the largest fortress built by Muslims in Spain.

In 1489, the city was conquered by the Catholic Monarchs, ending the Muslim era. In 1522, a severe earthquake destroyed large parts of the city, including the port. This catastrophe plunged Almería into a deep crisis that would last for almost three centuries. Part of the population left the city, and, lacking a suitable port, Almería was virtually excluded from the flourishing trade with India.
The 19th century saw the beginning of an economic boom with mining and the export of citrus fruits and grapes. During this period, important buildings were constructed in the city, such as several villas on the Paseo and the Cable Inglés. In the second half of the 20th century, the city experienced growth and prosperity thanks to the province's two economic engines: greenhouse farming and tourism.