The Nerja Cave As A Conservation Model For The Subterranean Cultural Heritage

The Nerja Cave is one of the main tourist and cultural resources of the province where it is located. The preservation of the cave and its heritage for future generations requires interdisciplinary research. In recent years an interdisciplinary research project has been carried out with numerous external researchers aiming to: (1) determine the pressures in the cave, especially the anthropic impact and its relationship with microclimate changes and biodeterioration factors, (2) characterize the cultural heritage of the cave and the surroundings with the specific preservation of the rock art and (3) design a management model for the adequate conservation of the heritage and with the tourist nature of the cave. The results of this project have provided the Nerja Cave Foundation with mechanisms, tools and valuable information, indispensable for the development of a rational management plan for this Asset of Cultural Interest, based on conservation, research and dissemination of its heritage.