Some abandoned or derelict buildings, crumbling or not, have a certain charm or character about them, others you just think, ‘Mmmm, pile of rubble’. I find the same with ancient ruins, some causing the old grey-matter to run riot, others leaving me cold. Maybe it depends just how much of the original structure actually remain, I haven’t worked that one out yet.
The former San Joaquín Sugar Mill on the N-340 between Nerja and Maro is one derelict site which, for me, falls into the ‘character’ category. The ruins look a bit ‘eerie’ in some ways, particularly in half-light and also because they are so isolated.
The mill was built in 1884 by Francisco Cantarero and owned by the Marquis de Tous. It closed down in 1911 and then, in 1930, was acquired by the Larios sugar company and reopened. A distillery was also part of the complex. It closed for the final time in the early 1970’s.
San Joaquín Sugar Mill, Nerja
