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Benalmdena, MlagaBenalmdena is a town situated approximately twelve kilometres to the west of the city of Mlaga, on the southern coast of Spain. Today home to around 30,000 people, the region has in the past been inhabited by Phoenicians, Romans, and Moors. It is now an important tourist destination. The origin of the name is unknown; the most common suggestion is that it derives from the Arabic ibn al-medina, or "children of the mines", referring to nearby deposits of iron and ochre. Alternatively, Madena may be the name of a person or family. The town is divided into two main urban areas: the coast area, Benalmdena Costa, with hotels and an excellently equipped sailing harbor called Puerto Marina; and the interior, with the small village of Benalmdena Pueblo and its sister town of Arroyo de la Miel. This latter falls administratively under the jurisdiction of Benalmdena. Notable landmarks include the two Almenara towers on the coastline, dating back to the fifteenth century. They were built to guard the coast and its population from the frequent incursions of Barbary pirates in those days, following the reconquest of the region by Henry IV of Castile. The town of Benalmdena also boasts an interesting archaeological museum with pieces dating back to the bronze age. In recent years the municipality has been subject to an unprecedented urban expansion with new buildings and homes built, sometimes causing environmental degradation.
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