Angel Ramirez, with his affable style, may not seem like your stereotypic caveman but caveman he is - a caveman on a mission. Since his controversial appointment as general manager of the Fundacion de Cueva de Nerja in April 2005 (Nerja's mayor, a vice president of the Fundacion, said he discovered the appointment through a news article), Angel Ramirez has been working to bring his prehistoric site into the 21st century. His plans for the Cueva de Nerja include a much needed update to the caves electricity, a botanical garden, developing an underground water reservoir to be utilised in times of drought and promoting the continued recognition of the Cuevas on touristic, historic, geologic and scientific levels.
audio interview here

Whether you agree with his politics or not - Ramirez is the current leader of the Nerja PSOE - you can not fault his impeccable qualifications for the job. He holds a degree in law and a graduate business degree from the IESE (one of the most prestigious graduate business schools in Europe) and enjoyed a successful management career with Repsol including stints as Executive President Repsol - Ecuador and Director General Repsol - Portugal.

Ramirez stole time between continuous phone calls and meetings in preparation for the highly anticipated Caves Festival of Music and Dance to answer some questions.

What has been the traditional view of the primary function of the cave - as a historical site, a cultural centre or as a business opportunity? Do you feel that in 2006 the Caves needs to change focus in one direction or another?

Angel:The caves are a part of our natural legacy; throughout time men and women have maintained very narrow ties to the underground world, caves are an outstanding part of that relationship between the underground world and what it means to be human. In the last two centuries, all over Europe, the adaptation of caves as tourist sites has been a remarkable socioeconomic resource and has been a way to bring the underground world closer to society. Of course this sort of tourist use brings with it a development of the area that needs to be balanced with our natural and cultural heritage. Caves are natural universities that help us to further understand the natural world and human history. During the 2005 Tourist Caves Congress, I signed a Decalogue outlining the future direction of the caves.
audio interview here

How did the caves develop into an important cultural venue for music and ballet? Are the caves used for performances any other time of year? How are the top artists that appear in the festival chosen? Is there a special relationship to feature the Malaga Symphony?

Angel: When the Caves were discovered and prepared for tourist visits in 1959, there was a tourist and promotional activity through the Ministry of Information and Tourism that had Music and Dance Festivals as a way to bring recognition to our early tourist industry. For conservation reasons, we only have our internationally known Music and Dance Festival in July. The top artists presented during our Festival are chosen by a group of exports headed by Professor Manuel del Campo. The Malaga Symphony has performed over the last several years as it is the symphony orchestra within the province of the festival.

The Altamira Caves seem to be more well known outside of Spain, yet the Nerja Caves seem to be more well known inside of Spain. Why do you think that is?

The Altamira Caves are like the Sistine Chapel of Cave Art, especially the Bison Gallery, but from a geological point of view the Altamira Caves simply do not correspond to the Nerja Caves. The Nerja Caves are a jewel of karstic geology; the immense size and heights in the Nerja Caves can not be compared to the Altamira Caves; also, the cave art in the Nerja Caves can not be compared with the cave art in the Altamira Caves. The Nerja Caves are one of the most visited tourist caves nationally or internationally; because of the conservation challenges at Altamira large amounts of visitors are unthinkable there.

How many visitors have the Caves had over the last few years? What nationalities?

More or less we have a half million visitors each year making us one of the most visited sites in Spain. We keep statistics about visitor nationalities in our Centro de Interpretacion but our non Spanish visitors are predominantly British, German and French.

How do you think your role as Manager of the Fundacion de Cueva de Nerja is influenced by your being the first Nerjeño in this position?

It is with pride that as a Nerjeño I can dedicate my time to this important Nerja tourist site and at the same time, through the Fundacion, be able to help so many Nerja groups and associations.

What do you see as the place of the Cuevas in Spanish and European heritage?

Nerja is nationally and internationally known for its caves. The Fundacion's mission is to present this rich natural treasure without risk to its conservation; we want to be able to give people the experience of this natural marvel, diversify the cultural activities of the area around the caves and to be an strong economic source in the region.

Dagmar Ritter and Angel Ramirez

18 - 22 July 47th International Festival of Music and Dance, Nerja Caves

The enormous "sala de las cascada", named for its many stalactites, provides a magical backdrop for outstanding performances.

Tickets to the Festival de la Cueva de Nerja are difficult, but not impossible, to obtain,
and can be purchased at the Caves or 952 529 520

18th July Galicia Symphony Orchestra Lyric Gala of Mozart
19th July Malaga Symphony Orchestra
20th July World Music of Mariza (Portugal)
21st & 22nd July Antonio Gades Ballet Company "Bodas de Sangre" and " Suite Flamenca"

Cave visits outside Festival Dates consist of a 30-minute tour of the Lower or Tourist Galleries. The halls have high dome-shaped ceilings and all around there are stalagmites, stalactites, strange rock formations and the effects of seismic activity around 800,000 years ago, as well as the largest central column in the world. A visit to the caves provides a cool break from the town's beaches.
Hours 10 - 19.30. Entrance price: adults 7€ children 6 - 12 3.50€