The plenary session of the Nerja Caves Foundation has decided to close the metal gallery stand in the Sala de la Cascada with the idea of permanently removing it in the near future. However, as with most things, this is not a straightforward procedure.
The stand was built in the 1970’s from welded iron. Prior to this, a wooden seating area was installed and dismantled after every annual concert. Over the years the stand has deteriorated and rusted due to the moisture in the caves and frequent maintenance has been necessary.
The Sala de la Cascada will be restored to its original state after the removal of the stand.
The Nerja Caves Foundation has commissioned a technical project for the removal of the stand as any cutting has to comply with strict regulations relating to archaeological sites. The removal will take place at night so as not to interfere with visits to the Caves.
The project has been approved by the Scientific Council of the Nerja Caves Foundation and will be presented in the coming days to the Provincial Department of Culture for approval. The next step will be to open a disassembly procedure for awarding to a company specialising in such work. All work is subject to stringent control by technicians from the Cavity Research Institute with respect to archaeological, biological and geological considerations.
An immediate effect of the closure of the stand will be a 500 person reduction in seating capacity for the upcoming Caves Concerts in July 2013. Tickets for the concerts go on sale on May 30th and these can be purchased online at www.cuevadenerja.es, at the Nerja Museum in Plaza de España or at the ticket office at the Nerja Caves.