CONQUERING THE PEAKS
The Duke’s Odyssey and Civil Engineering
The Sierra Nevada Tramway (1925 – 1974) was the realization of a visionary tourism project aimed at connecting the city of Granada with the mountain peaks. Its primary driving force was Julio Quesada Cañaveral y Piédrola, Duke of San Pedro de Galatino, Count of Benalúa and of las Villas, and Lord of Láchar.
To bring this feat to life, a solid financial structure was established through the creation of corporations and the issuance of bonds to raise the necessary capital:
- Companies and Financing: Two entities were founded: “Tranvía-Ferrocarril Granada Sierra Nevada S.A.” (issuing 1,200,000 pesetas in mortgage bonds) and “San Pedro. Eléctrica Maitena S.A.” (issuing 750,000 pesetas across 1,500 bonds). Both issues, priced at 500 pesetas each with 7% interest, were managed by the private bank Sres. Hijos de D. Manuel Rodríguez Acosta.
- The Ambitious Initial Plan: The project, originally commissioned to engineer José Morell, was a work of unprecedented technical complexity. With a budget of 16 million pesetas, the route was to start at Las Vistillas and included 14 km of standard track, 17 km of rack railway (cog railway), and 6 km of funicular, alongside the construction of the iconic Hotel del Duque.
The Cable Car Project: The Link to Peñones de San Francisco
The Duke of San Pedro’s original vision was not limited to rail tracks; the tramway was merely the first stage of a unique intermodal transport system. The ultimate goal was to reach the Peñones de San Francisco (Albergues) area, conquering the final and steepest section of the mountain.
To achieve this, the plan included two milestones that remained unfinished:
- The La Estrella Extension: The tramway was intended to extend its route from Barranco de San Juan to the La Estrella area.
- A Three-Station Cable Car: A cable transport system with three strategic stations was planned from that point. This cable car would have allowed travelers to ascend directly from the valley into the heart of the high mountains, providing easy access to mountain shelters and snow zones.
This historical ambition has been recovered and analyzed by Paulina Contreras Martín in her monograph research for a degree in Building Engineering. Her study of the San Juan Valley cable car provides new technical documentation and an exhaustive visual impact analysis using advanced virtual recreations, rescuing the Duke’s original vision under 21st-century technology and sustainability standards. This research is available for consultation on the project’s official website: https://web.telefericosierranevada.es/
Chronicle of the Closure: The End of an Era
Despite its significance, the development of water infrastructure ultimately sealed the tramway’s fate:
- The Closure Agreement: In 1973, the company proposed ceasing operations because the construction of the Canales Reservoir would flood more than five kilometers of the tracks. The Council of Ministers approved the closure on December 7th of that year.
- The Last Journey: On January 19, 1974, the tramway made its final run. Following the closure, the tracks were dismantled, and part of the rolling stock was sold as scrap metal.
- Transformation of the Landscape: The original trackbed was used to widen the mountain road and, from Maitena onwards, to build the path that today allows cars to reach Barranco de San Juan.
Did you know…?
- Europe’s Highest Road: Parallel to the railway project, engineer Juan José Santa Cruz designed the Sierra Nevada road, recognized at the time as the highest high-mountain road on the entire European continent.
- Pinos Genil, the Fork in the Road: This municipality was the exact point where both projects diverged. While the road began its steep ascent, the tramway followed the course of the river, making Pinos Genil the strategic epicenter of mountain communication.
- Living Heritage: Today, the old Pinos Genil station serves as an Interpretation Center. Furthermore, you can walk the original route (SL-A393) on foot to admire Tunnel No. 1 and the Chorrera Bridge.
