This map of Ronda, in the province of Málaga, was created by Melchor de Gerona. The illustration is dated around 1810, although it may have been made somewhat earlier, as it fits into the context of the Napoleonic invasions and the defence of Spanish cities against French troops. Ronda was taken on 10 February 1810, so it is possible that the map was published between 1808 and 1809.

Rather than a map of the city, it is more of a sketch, as it focuses exclusively on depicting the city's defences, without remaining faithful to the shapes and sizes of the different parts of Ronda.

To correctly identify each of the areas, it is important to note that the map is oriented with north on the right and south on the left. The neighbourhood known as Barrio del Mercadillo, on the right, is shown much narrower than it actually is, to facilitate representation. To its left is the famous Tajo de Ronda, with the three bridges that already existed at the beginning of the 19th century. In the centre is the walled area, with the Medina and Arrabal Alto neighbourhoods. On the left, completely distorted, is the San Francisco neighbourhood, outside the walled enclosure.

In addition to walls, bridges, and geographical features, the map also shows the position of the various parapets to defend against the imminent invasion.

Sources

• Sketch of the City of Ronda and layout of its defences