Cable Inglés (English Cable)

The Cable Inglés, the English Cable, is an iron loading pier on the Almadrabillas shore of Almería, and it is one of the best-known industrial monuments in southern Spain. It was built in the early twentieth century, between 1902 and 1904, for the British-owned Alquife Mines and Railway Company, which mined iron ore at Alquife, in the province of Granada, near Guadix. The ore was carried by rail to the coast, and at Almería it was tipped from the wagons onto a long, high platform that ran out to the sea, so that it could be loaded directly into ships moored alongside. The structure took its nickname from the British owners, since cable in this sense referred to a cableway or pier, and it remained a symbol of the foreign mining capital that shaped Almería’s economy at the time.

The design is a good example of the iron architecture of the period. A series of tall lattice piers, joined by girders and trusses in riveted iron, carries the railway track, and the structure stretches from the shore to the water, with a platform at the end for the loading operation. Its form, with the repeated arches and crossbars, has a graceful, geometric look, and it is similar to the iron bridges and stations that were being built across Europe at the time. It was protected as a monument of cultural interest and has been restored to preserve its appearance, and it is a feature of the city’s waterfront.

For most of the twentieth century, the pier carried out its function, shipping out iron ore from the mines, and it was an important part of the port. When the mines declined, the cable fell out of use, and for years it was neglected. A campaign by local residents and cultural groups led to its restoration, and the structure was opened to the public as a viewpoint and walkway. Visitors can walk onto the platform and see the metalwork at close quarters, and from the end of the pier there is a wide view of the sea, the coast and the Alcazaba on its hill. At sunset, the iron against the sky makes a dramatic scene, and it is a favourite place for photographers.

The pier is not a fully equipped tourist attraction, and there is no museum or ticket office. It is a historic monument and a public walkway, with free access, and the experience is mostly a matter of looking at the structure and enjoying the setting. The site is open during the day and the evening, with hours that may change, and it is a short walk from the city centre along the seafront.

The Cable Inglés sits at the edge of the port area, near the mouth of the dry riverbed and the city beach, and it is easily combined with a visit to the Alcazaba of Almería, which looms above the city. Almería has a dry, hot climate, so the walk is best in the early morning or evening. A visit takes about thirty minutes.