Explore Melilla on two routes

Discovering the city’s architecture

Multiculturalism and Art Nouveau are two of the attractions of Melilla’s culture that you can enjoy through its buildings. Two tourist routes give us the opportunity to discover them, visiting its Art Nouveau architecture and the city’s most iconic religious buildings.

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Art Nouveau Melilla

Melilla is the Spanish city with the most Art Nouveau and Art Deco buildings after Barcelona. You can see hundreds of examples on the streets, elegant façades appearing one after another, with curved forms, floral and plant motifs, wrought iron and stained glass. The origin of this rich heritage was the architect Enrique Nieto, a student of Gaudí, who revolutionised the city’s architecture when he introduced this style in the early 20th century.

Melilla’s Art Nouveau route covers the Ensanche district of the city. This is the area of the “Golden Triangle”, so called for the large number of Art Nouveau buildings there. Starting from Plaza de España, it includes Avenida de Juan Carlos I Rey, Calle del Ejército Español and Calle López Moreno. The Assembly Palace, Casa Melul, Casa de los Cristales, Casa Tortosa, The Aqueduct building, the Chamber of Commerce, the building of the newspaper “El Telegrama del Rif” and La Reconquista are a few of the most notable examples.The Art Nouveau style also appears in the city’s religious buildings. Or Zaruah Synagogue and Yamín Benarroch Synagogue, the Central Mosque and the church of Sagrado Corazón de Jesús are good examples.

The Route of the Temples

This itinerary offers a closer look at inter-religious coexistence in Melilla by visiting the main temples of the four religious communities that exist in the city: Christians, Muslims, Jews and Hindus. This multicultural experience also gives you a chance to discover the traditions and ceremonies of the different religions, courtesy of the communities themselves.The first point on the route is the church of the Purísima Concepción, in Romanesque style and the oldest in the city. It continues with the Art Nouveau synagogue Or Zaruah (“Holy Light”), notable for the blend of Caliphate and Nasrid motifs on its façade. The next stop is the Central Mosque. The guided tour ends at Mandir Hindu temple, the only Hindu place of worship in Melilla.The route is on foot and takes place on Sundays. Reservations can be made by calling or sending an email to the Melilla Tourist Office. A minimum of 12 people is required for the event to take place.