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Property
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MODERN MIRACLES
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RIP Maria SPAIN’s oldest woman in the world has died at 117. The family of Maria Branyas announced her death via social media on Tuesday. In a post on her X account they wrote: “A few days ago Maria told us: ‘One day I will leave here. I will not try coffee again, nor eat yoghurt…, I will also leave my memories, my reflections… and I will cease to exist in this body. One day I don’t know, but it’s very close, this long journey will be over. “‘Death will find me worn out from having lived so long, but I want it to find me smiling, free and satisfied’.” Maria was born to Spanish parents in San Francisco on March 4, 1907, but moved back to northern Spain when she was very young. Scientists last year took samples from Maria in a bid to discover her secrets to a long life – and to develop cures for diseases. She incredibly had no health complications other than hearing and mobility issues. The ‘Super Grandmother’, who regularly updated her followers on X, beat Covid in 2020 and had survived the Spanish Civil War, a deadly earthquake in the US and a major fire. The mantle of oldest person alive has now passed to 116-year-old Tomiko Itooka from Japan. See Viva España page 6
The minimalist theme of new Spanish churches
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HEN Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium hosted tour, all eyes were on the Taylor Swift’s Eras But for the football club thepop superstar. real star of the show was Swift’s concert marked the first occasion the ground the stadium itself. beit ‘unofficially’ - after was fully a massive revamp some announced. 10 years after the plans open - alwere first But now it has been ‘officially’ unveiled. It took €1.8 billion - about GMP Architekten, L35, and€1 billion more than initially planned - for architects public attraction, boasting Ribas & Ribas to transform it into a multifaceted a Real Madrid ces, and a skywalk offering Museum, dining and retail spapanoramic views. It also boasts a sliding ‘greenhouse’ where the roof and even an underground turf pitch can be retracted optimal growing conditions. for A striking feature of the stadium is its sinuous stainless steel facade. This metallic skin, designed to conceal the original concrete structure, gives the Bernabeu a distinctive, sculptural form. “The curved stainless steel the Bernabeu with a new louvres have imbued identity, solidifying its status as a Madrid landmark,” said a spokesman for GMP Architekten. “From afar, the metal facade shimmers like a jewel, reflecting light in countless ways.” Beyond aesthetics, the metal cladding serves functional purpose. Horizontal a louvres allow natural ventilationgaps between the for the stadium's interior. The renovation also increased seating capacity by 3,000 to 85,000, added VIP and hospitality lounges.
STILL GOING UP
PROPERTY prices are climbing ever higher in Spain as demand outstrips supply. Since 2019, only the Balearics tilla-La Mancha (€939), Extremadura have seen faster price rises than (€976) and Castilla y León cia, according to a report AndaluWhile Spanish authorities(€1,198). by BBVA ife, where seller expectations By Walter Finch urgently Research. rose by it stands at €4,477 try to build new houses, supply 18.6%, with Las Palmas sqm. is still Both new and existing homes (13.5%) sec- Across Spain ond and Malaga (12.2%) third. house prices rose by expected to fall short of meeting the creased in price by over 20% have in- from 2000. growing demand. 3.9% in 2023 and 4.3% in the first BBVA forecasts Despite the boom, BBVA since 2019. The Canary Islands has seen the By cities, the most significant rise quarter prices are yet to reach the estimates sharpest rise with houses being 16.4% was in Malaga, where prices grew by dicting of 2024, with forecasts pre- permits in 2024, 120,000 construction peaks of more expensive an a 5% increase in 2024 18.2%, followed by Alicante the previous real estate bubble and from the previous increase of 10,000 than (18%), 4.7% in 2025. year. The Soria (17%) and Valencia from It is followed by the a year ago. two decades ago. (16.1%). Balearics months of 2024 saw a 14.8%first four the Valencian Community (11.9%), The smallest rises were in Melilla According to BBVA’s Real Estate in permits growth Current prices are still (11.5%), Observatory 2024 report, compared to the same perikey factors od last year, those levels (8% for new 9% below the Community of Madrid (11.5%), (0.3%), followed by Pamplona (1.1%), driving indicating this Palencia (1.8%), Vitoria 10% existing) with only homes and Murcia (8.8%), Andalucia (8.7%). (2.1%), and economy, trend include a booming tion cycle driven by a new construcMadrid Pontevedra higher increased demand. and family incomes, de- However, By province, 45 have (2.4%). the Balearics having surpassed mand from challenges such as zoning prices a year ago, led by higher prices than The price of property in Santa Cruz de Tener- now Madrid is terest rates. foreigners and lower in- issues, labour shortages, €4,622 sqm, while in Barcelona tory uncertainty continueand regulaThe most affordable regions to hinder are Cas- new projects.
The areas where property and where it’s still good prices are growing the fastest in Spain value
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These are Andalucia’s best inland swimming spots
MODERN MIRACLES
NOT SO SWIFT W
10 years on, Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium renovation finally complete
The minimalist designs of Spain’s new churches
Chilling out
AUGUST 2024
OLIVE PRESS
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Vol. 18 Issue 451 www.theolivepress.es August 21st - September 3rd 2024
KICK IN THE TEETH
A BRITISH tourist claims he was attacked by a Mijas donkey owner while attempting to expose ‘horrific animal abuse’. Ian Grace, 52, began filming after seeing six horse drawn carriages operating in Mijas Pueblo despite the ‘insufferable heat’. The incident occurred at around 6.30pm on Sunday, August 18, during an orange weather alert for extreme temperatures. According to new town hall rules, introduced this month, no animals should be working if an orange or
British tourist ‘is beaten up by donkey taxi driver’ for trying to document ‘animal abuse’
EXCLUSIVE By Yzabelle Bostyn
red heat alert has been issued by weather agency Aemet. Ian started filming the stables after being shocked that horses and donkeys were still being forced to work. Speaking to the Olive Press this week, Ian claimed a donkey owner suddenly ‘ran around the barrier and smacked him in the face’. Ian said he was knocked to the ground and pinned down by the man who repeatedly punched him in the face, smashing his glasses and throwing his phone across the pavement. The businessman was left with various cuts to face and neck after the attacker allegedly screamed: “I’m going break your head.” Ian added: “I’m an activist and I've stood up to abusers before, but I ABUSE: Activists claim the have never been assaulted like that. donkeys have welts “He couldn’t abuse the animals so he turned on me instead.” The incident follows a number of videos that have surfaced online showing the donkeys colnal o ti a n r Inte lapsed in the All UK & stems street due to exTV sy treme heat. und o S V Ian, who lives CCT n in Shrewsbury, & Visio England, but net r te In spends much c & 4G ti p O r Fibe time in Spain, branded the tradition a 952 763 840 ‘stain’ on the country he loves. 635 400 099 “I love Spain but this is abuinfo@theskydoctor.com sive, I want to empower peowww.theskydoctor.com ple to docu-
ment the plight of the donkeys,” he continued. The assault has prompted a protest urging tourists to boycott the controversial donkey taxis. Organised by pressure group Free Mijas Donkeys and Horses, the protest will take place on Thursday, August 22. It will see some 100 people gather outside the tourism office at 1pm. Anne Blitz (pictured inset), the leader of Free Mijas Donkeys, claims despite the town hall's attempts to make the practice more ethical, donkey owners ‘do not respect the rules’. Currently, owners are not allowed to run donkey taxis during orange and red heat alerts and should not operate between 2pm and 6pm if yellow alerts are in place. Activists claim Mijas town hall is already considering a ban, as they are ‘fed up’ with complaints from tourists and fear they are avoiding the town altogether. It comes nine months after the new PP government established an animal welfare department and began
BLOODY: Ian was left with cuts and grazes to his face
introducing new measures to improve the donkeys’ wellbeing, such as dedicated veterinary services. Blitz claims the Minister for Animal Well Being, Marco Cortes, has pledged to end the practice but says it will ‘take a long time’ to dismantle as the 65 donkeys come from 26 local families. When approached by the Olive Press, the council did not respond to a request for comment. She proposes swapping the donkeys for tuktuks or creating a new attraction by establishing a sanctuary. Opinion Page 6
PROTEST: Animal rights party PACMA held a demo in May