Arch Enemies

There is quite a fuss going on in Marbella about the future of the western “Marbella” arch which is now half demolished as building work and controversy goes on all around it. Facebook groups, interviews in El País, and people getting hot under the collar about whether the arch should be reinstated once the road works to build the San Pedro underpass are finally completed… “It’s a symbol of corruption” some say … about the rather ordinary, or even non-descript arch erected by erstwhile Mayor, Jesus Gil y Gil whose corrupt council was shamefully removed from office back in 2007 under the Operacion Malaya – which made Marbella the subject of an intense media circus for several months.

There is no denying that for this reason many a Marbella resident will gladly see the back of the arch – which incidentally is being deconstructed piece by piece – owing to internal corrosion – how appropriate – it’s rotten to the core, say the detractors, and it is the perfect excuse to get rid of the monument, whether for reasons of public safety or simply to remove vestiges of the GIL party reign which left the municipality some 500 million euros in debt. Marbella may be overwhelming in its quality of life – it’s official by the way, Marbella is the town which offers the best quality of life in the whole of Andalucia….based on per capita income, green space per inhabitant, etcetera, etcetera, but in terms of iconic urban monuments, Marbella is seriously underwhelming, and the only candidate to represent us on the world stage seems to be the very arch in question. Comparable to the Hollywood letters in the California mountain range, our Marbella arch at least tells visitors at a glance where they are…

If you ask me what I think, it’s quite simple; of course I mind the arch coming down as it is going to leave a gaping hole in the landscape of our marbellas.com live weather cam image… Then it will become just another view of a golf course flanked by La Concha mountain – boring… I also have a rather fond memory of driving a white Porsche Cabrio through the very arch some years ago when filmed by Sky TV for the satirical documentary on Spain, Bloody Foreigners… Love it, or hate it, It is hard to picture TV footage on Marbella without the controversial arch. But politically speaking, the decision is a no brainer. Luckily Marbella town council can keep everyone happy as there happen to be two arches…. the half-demolished western arch, and another twin on the east side. So there you have it, the solution is simple; take one down and leave the other one standing… LC