ARCHIVED - Andalucia government protects 800 year old chestnut of Istán with Natural Monument status
The huge chestnut tree is believed to be the oldest tree in the province of Málaga and one of the oldest in the Andalucía region.
Tucked away up in the Istán hills behind Marbella (Málaga) an ancient reminder of the history of the province has survived for 800 years; the emblematic chestnut of Istán, to which the Andalusian regional government has decided to award the protective status of “Natural Monument”.
The ‘Castaño Santo’ (Holy Chestnut) is about 800 years old and takes its name from legends that claim Ferdinand II of Aragón, the Catholic King of Spain, held a mass under its branches in 1501 to give thanks for the successful reconquering of Marbella from the Moors.
With a girth of about 22 metres at the base, and 15 metres in height, the enormous tree is healthy but in danger due not only to the passage of time but also to the natural erosion of the earth around it and visitors’ insistence on taking a bit of soil home as a souvenir; insects are also a constant threat.
Located on private property, the Castaño Santo is already protected as it falls within the Sierra Bermeja y Real Special Conservation Zone and the Intercontinental Biosphere Reserve of the Mediterranean and is on land which will be part of the Sierra de las Nieves National Park. It is also listed on the Andalusian Inventory of Singular Trees.
The regional authorities have decided to provide the tree and a surrounding area of about 1.4 hectares with Natural Monument status to facilitate conservation and offer a further degree of protection.