LOST HERITAGE: New exhibit commemorates the sugar cane industry on the Costa del Sol

For more than five centuries, the Costa del Sol was home to a plenitude of sugar cane. Dozens of sugar cane factories were dotted along the coastline, producing a steady flow of honey, sugar and rum.
Years later, after tourism took over the region, barely anything remains of the once flourishing business. The old mills have either disappeared or are in a terrible state of preservation. In honour of this important part of local history, the Nerja Museum is offering a look back in time.
Belgian artist Ludo Slabbaert is hosting an exhibition to allow an in-depth look at these historical vestiges. The photographs are displayed in the Ana María Márques room and entrance to the temporary exhibition is free. The exhibit will remain in the museum until Sunday, March 8.
In a press release, the Nerja Museum explained their wish to show the public such an important industrial legacy. They highlighted that, until the twentieth century, a big percentage of the population in the old Kingdom of Granada made a living from sugar cane. The exhibition aims to remind public administrations of the need to recover these valuable buildings.