Benalmádena residents bury 50 years of history in a time capsule

Residents of La Capellanía residential development in Benalmádena celebrated the 50th anniversary of its construction last weekend with an event that included the burial of a time capsule containing documents recording the construction of the development, along with testimonies of the local community, most of whom have lived in the area since it was built in 1973.

The residential area, which is located between the coast and Benalmádena Pueblo, was constructed on a piece of land on which properties were located with excellent views of what were then only orchards, and the municipality of Fuengirola in the background.

Today, 357 residents, many of whom are foreign, live on the residential estate, which was constructed by three Belgian developers.

The time capsule is likely to be opened on its 100th anniversary in 2073, which, as the administrator Salvador Román explained, “will offer future generations a glimpse into the development’s history”.

“Graphic and written documents that record the history of this residential development over the last fifty years have been buried in the capsule. Among the documents are records of who the developers were and stories about the residents and how they acquired their homes,” Román said.

Along with the time capsule, the celebration also consisted of a day of coexistence in which each neighbour contributed a typical dish from their country of origin.

The mayor of Benalmádena, Juan Antonio Lara, was present at the event, during which he highlighted “the importance of La Capellanía in the development and history of Benalmádena”.