Fountain of the Lovers

At the centre of Plaza de Castilla stands a striking statue of an embracing couple, frozen in place before leaping into the void. They stand above the Fountain of the Lovers and symbolise the legend behind the Peña de los Enamorados, the dramatic mountain towering over the Antequera valley. You may have already noticed this rocky peak’s shape—it looks like a man’s face turned up towards the sky. Some people even call it the “Cara del Indio,” or “Indian’s Face.” But what does this have to do with a pair of lovers? According to legend, a young Christian soldier named Tello, who served under King Ferdinand I, was captured near Antequera and imprisoned in the dungeons of the Alcazaba. During his captivity, he met the Muslim king’s daughter, a princess named Tazgona. No one knows why she was in the dungeons—but the two fell hopelessly in love. Desperate to be together, they planned Tello’s escape and fled the city, choosing to live their love in secret rather than be torn apart by their cultures and religions. However, they were caught by royal troops just as they reached the mountain. With no chance of escape, they embraced and threw themselves from the cliffs—choosing death over separation. The story goes that their sacrifice touched both sides so deeply that they laid down their arms and ended the fighting. That’s how the mountain came to be known as the Mountain of the Lovers.