Casas-cueva en Galera (Granada): una nueva vida para una vivienda tradicional

Abstract

The cave-houses were traditional houses in south-eastern Spain until the 1980´s, but due to emigration, new housing and the pressure of local and regional governments, they were practically abandoned for almost two decades. However, at the beginning of this century, the cave-houses were restored thanks to the arrival of British immigrants looking for a vacation or retirement home and also to local promoters who transformed the caves in rural hotels. In Galera (Granada), among other villages in the shares of Huéscar, Baza and Guadix, it started during the 1990 and the 2000 the developing of a new type of cave-housing, more adapted to the needs and demands of the tourist, immigrants and returnees. In parallel those neighbours who still live in cave-houses have adapted their homes to urban standards, so that at present there are two types of cave-houses coexisting. The aim of this paper is to determinate if the new aesthetic and use of the rural elements in the tourist caves can be considered as “traditional”, as well as the adaptation of the other cave-houses have to be considered still “traditional” or not. It is also an element to consider the speeches developed regarding the caves, how they are understand and imagine by the locals and how those speeches affect them.