〈italiano〉
In Los Albaricoques some of the most significant scenes of Sergio Leone’s films take place; here are sequences of For a Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars more. The village, 200 inhabitants, is located in the Cabo de Gata natural park; it looks like a place forgotten by the time: to really understand it, it is highly recommended to enter the bar which is located right at the entrance of the town.
In the village the original names of the streets have also been changed and some indications have been added describing the scenes taking place there.
For a Fistful of Dollars: San Miguel.
For a Few Dollars more: Aguas Calientes.
Welcome to Aguas Calientes:
This is the point from where Mortimer and Monco shoot the fruit to help a boy pick up apples. Behind there is the tavern (the interior of the tavern is a ruin located in the Tabernas area).
And here is the apple tree (the tree you see now is not that one of the film, but the position is correct):
Shooting:
I buchi dei proiettili:
Traces of bullets:
The “triello”
Surroundings: El Cortijo del Fraile
It is one of the most evocative of the places where Sergio Leone shot the scenes of his films. In the middle of nowhere, it can be reached by a long dirt road that connects Los Albaricoques to Minas de Rodalquilar.
The pictures of this section have been taken during different years; the first time, in 2013, to reach the interior it was necessary to climb over or get into some hole in the fence nets; in 2016, on the contrary, it was easier to enter.
The abbey was built in the 18th century by the Dominican friars of Almeria; it was also known as ‘Hornillo’ because it owned a large oven that baked bread for the whole community.
Here, in 1928, an assassination was carried out which inspired the work Bodas de Sangre (blood wedding) to Federico Garcia Lorca.
Coordinates: 36.865393,-2.07478
In For a Few Dollars more, the scenes following the robbery to the bank of El Paso are shot in the large internal courtyard.
In The Good, the Bad and the Ugly this place represents the mission of San Antonio where Tuco and Biondo land after crossing the desert. Here Tuco meets his brother, Father Ramirez, the prior of the mission.
One year later: Summer 2017
Some safety work has been carried out since last summer; among other things, the fence was also rebuilt and getting inside was much more difficult. And in fact we took some pictures frm outside.
Cortijada del Campillo de Dona Francisca
It is located on the long dirt road that from Los Albaricoques reaches Rodalquilar passing through the Cortijo del Fraile. Recently, some enthusiast have rebuilt the two pillars of the mill (until 2014 there was only one left). And then they built a beautiful Tuco grave; it has nothing to do with this place but, however, it’s pretty.
Coordinates: 36.861395 -2.097037
In The Good, the Bad and the Ugly the initial scene takes place here when the Bad arrives at Steven’s farm; here you can see the outside view (scenes filmed in the interior of the house are shot at Hoya Altica, near Almeria.
In Duck you Sucker Juan is about to be shot but Sean arrives and they run away on the motorcycle.
Cortijada del Higo Seco
Here happens the hanging of Shorty Larson in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
Cortijada del Higo Seco is located on the left of the road from Rodalquilar to Los Albaricoques; it can be seen from the main road and can be reached by a short dirt road.
Coordinates: 36.896422, -2.096205
Summer 2019
We were here again and we did a short visit to the places already seen in previous tours. Just to renew the emotions of being on set and maybe noticing some changes, some more indications, some details that we had missed before.
Los Albaricoques
Starting from Los Albaricoques, in the area of the final triello of For a few Dollars more, we noted for the first time one of the original buildings, hidden by a wall. The geometry of the buildings here is quite recognizable even if the they have been enlarged and modified a lot.
The house that appears behind the wall seems to be the one from which Gian Maria Volontè comes out for the final shooting (even if I’m not completely sure). In any case, what you see is certainly a portion of the original building.
The building is on sale … if some enthusiast wanted to buy, knock down the wall, and make the original building visible, he can do it … so we can all see and photograph it in the years to come …
El Cortijo del Fraile
This really impressive place changes from year to year. Frankly, I can’t say whether for better or for worse. Mainly safety works are in progress; the buildings are no longer fenced and therefore it is very easy to enter. On the other hand, in the name of security, some parts have been destroyed. In any case, it always remains one of the most beautiful places to visit.
Leafing through the old photos, I decided to add these few shots of the interior of the church which, who knows why, I had discarded (the photos were taken from the hole on the door, which is barred).
Here is an example of the building’s safety work … one of the best shots of the interior … the roof has disappeared … the quality of the restoration is at least questionable.
Old frames…new pictures…
Where did the palm tree go? In the film it was small, in 2013 it was beautiful green and luxuriant … and now it’s gone … another questionable intervention.
Cortijada del Campillo de Dona Francisca
Time passes … here are some new photos together with the old ones (we were here the first time in 2013).
A signal has been added indicating the location of the film (and there is no longer the fake tomb of Tuco which, however pretty, had nothing to do with it). The mill seen in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is different every time … someone rebuilds it … someone else destroys it … and it goes on like this.
And the usual shot that can be seen in Duck you Sucker that never satisfies me completely
MEGLIO UN GIORNO DA LEONE 