A bird's eye view from Malaga's new skyscrapers

The most advanced of the two blocks at present is the south tower, which will contain 252 apartments. More than 70 per cent have already been reserved, off plan.

"This already seems very high, but many people don't realise that we still have nearly half the block to build," said Iván Gómez, who is the works manager.

Even so, it is very windy at the top, which is normal for a tower that will be106 metres high, 16 metres taller than Malaga cathedral's belltower. Gómez assured us there was nothing to worry about. Before construction began, they made models of the skyscrapers, a metre and a half high, with between 200 and 300 sensors, and tested them in a wind tunnel. That showed where the structure needed to be more rigid so the wind doesn't pull it outwards.

The construction is proceeding according to schedule; the works should be finished in the first quarter of 2023 and the aparments ready for occupation by the end of next year. However, there is a discreet silence about the prices at the moment. All we know is that a four-bedroomed apartment on the 25th floor with a garage and storeroom will cost over 600,000 euros. The penthouses are being kept secret. "We haven't set a price for them, we will do that at the end of the year when they go on sale," says Gómez.

These tower blocks are are costing 175 million euros to build. The design includes a two-storey car park under each, with room for 535 vehicles. A new public square is to be built between the south tower and the language school, and AC Acentor is also planning a path for pedestrians and cyclists beside the Guadalmedina river.

Construction of the north tower, which will be slightly taller than the south one at 111 metres, is progressing more slowly, but is also approaching the 20th floor. The first 13 floors of this block will be used as hotel accommodation, and the rest will house 198 rental apartments which AQ Acentor plans to sell to a specialist operator. The tenants of this block will have one advantage if they are football fans they will be able to see all the matches at La Rosaleda, without having to buy a ticket.

Some already love them, some are not so sure, but one thing is certain: the skyscrapers of Martiricos are here to stay.