Unlike the proverbial Neanderthals, cave dwellers may be some of the smartest beings on earth. Life protected from the elements by caves has persisted as a form of human existence for millennia, and goes on to this day in places such as Turkey, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Morocco, Italy, and France. In southern Remarkabily, in Andalusia cave homes are man made, and are not natural formations that humans simply moved into. Some of the very earliest names for the city of Granada refer to its cave dwellings. In nearby Benalua, a suburb of Guadix, everyone lives in a cave, just as in the gypsy quarter of Sacromonte. There are cave theaters, cave hotels, cave restaurants, cave spas, and of course, cave houses, known in Spanish as casas cueva. At the other end of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain too, near Almeria but still in Granada Province, cave dwelling has existed at least since the Arab invasion of Iberia in the 8th century. Granada Province has the largest cave dwelling population in Europe.

Here cave buildings do not, as might be expected, exist inside natural rock formations, like at Capadoccia in Turkey or the Tarn Gorge in France. Instead, they are intentional dwelling spaces carved out of hard clay and earth. Buying, refurbishing, or creating a new cave house represents the ultimate in efficient and sustainable living--though please be advised that we would not suggest building a cave house outside of regions where it is common practice and the structural integrity of the earth is well known. In Granada, the ancient cave dwelling area extends far beyond the contemporary city, into the hills and ravines of San Miguel Park, where some squatters still live, laying claim to caves without running water or electricity and living rent-free.

In southern Spain, cave houses naturally maintain a steady temperature of around 19-20 degrees centigrade year round. This is quite exceptional in a montane climate like Granada City where summertime temperatures surpass 40 degrees and where it occasionally snows in winter. Building a cave dwelling is relatively inexpensive (though not necessarily cheap), cave houses can have all the amenities of a regular house (and more), electricity, plumbing, and HVAC are easy to install, and cave houses remain dry and habitable with normal ventilation, unlike many stone caves that can store dampness. This is because earthen caves, if built and treated correctly, continue to “breathe,” allowing transpiration of moisutre. Even those with claustrophobia find modern cave houses quite comfortable. After becoming accustomed to cave living, it is soothing to return to a home with the solidity of the earth and the silence of a church.

In Granada, the most geographically diverse province in the Iberian Peninsula, there exist distinct concentrations of cave settlement, notably in the historic Albaycin and Sacromonte neighborhoods of Granada City, in Guadix, on the other side of the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains, and in the more mountainous region of Baza. The Albaycin and Sacromonte are adjacent hillside neighborhoods, both of which form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Alhambra Palace. They are ancient settlements, with cave dwelling existing at least back to Arab times, well before the 15th century. Guadix and Baza are similarly ancient cities. One likely historical explanation of cave building is that the Arabs brought the tradition with them from the troglodyte abodes of North Africa, starting in the early 700s. The total cave-dwelling population of the three areas runs into the tens of thousands. Some cave houses are extremely large, having up to ten or more rooms. Here there are specialists in cave construction, renovation, and expansion.

The Advantages of Caves

Caves are ecologically-friendly houses. Arguably, they are the most ecologically-sensitive form of construction, and could be combined with an alternative energy system to become an almost completely self-sustaining form of dwelling. They maintain a constant indoor temperature with natural earth insulation, which also makes them extremely quiet. They do not require large amounts of inputs in terms of bricks, concrete, mortar, metal, or wood, and do not demand costly synthetic or ecologically-questionable construction materials. In fact, earth caves must be able to breathe naturally to last.

Costs are therefore kept to a minimum, except for the expense of labor. Requirements for a completed house are limited to a natural floor finish such as terracotta tile or brick, a thin stucco-type wall and ceiling treatment (usually whitewashed; preferably a form of hydrated lime), mechanical systems, and fixtures. Earth caves can also be built to specification. Within certain limitations, one can have high or low ceilings, large or small rooms, curvilinear walls, domed or arched ceilings, alcoves, built-in furniture, and a catalog of sculptural room effects. In fact, building this kind of cave house is like sculpting your house from inside out--a most unique experience. No two cave houses are the same. Given enough land, you can also expand instantly and easily.

Natural light can be provided not only from doors and/or windows facing the outside, but also by light ducts through holes that can be created by modern well-drilling rigs. Such light traps usually have convex Plexiglas covers and reflective ducting that capture and transmit the maximum amount of natural light deep into a cave house. A whitewashed cave interior also reflects more light throughout the interior space than one might think. Caves can even accommodate a fireplace, provided that it is placed relatively near the outside wall of the cave thus keeping chimney construction manageable. Built-in bathtubs, toilet alcoves, and closets are a snap for any experienced cave builder.

Cave homes have deeds and are protected by normal property rights in Spain. What happens if you transcend property boundaries or accidentally run into someone else's cave is not clear cut in the law. This is generally only a concern in areas with a high cave house density. Older, historic caves seem to have grandfathered rights, whether or not they penetrate beneath the lands of others.

Considerations in Cave Construction

We would strongly recommend using a professional builder for any cave creation or renovation. Finding a cave builder is not always easy, though in areas with large concentrations of cave dwellings it is not hard. Anyone considering building an earthen cave dwelling themselves should spend some time in Granada or elsewhere studying cave construction. Cave hotels, apartment rentals, and flamenco night clubs (tablaos) are common in most areas.

One large problem encountered in cave construction in an urban environment is disposal of the excess earth created during excavation. Such cases require hiring a container and dump truck company to haul away up to hundreds of loads of clay, which can be expensive. This problem is compounded by the fact that naturally-compacted clay expands in volume by three to four times once excavated.

Beyond the earth disposal problem, cave construction is not for the indecisive. Unlike conventional construction techniques, you cannot go back and fix something. Holes, even doorways, can be filled in, but the basic size and shape of a room cannot be easily changed, and can never be put back or shrunk. Rooms can usually be made bigger; ceilings can be made higher; but not visa versa. Don't be afraid to have high ceilings in a cave--it costs almost nothing and makes rooms more livable and interesting. (Remember that once flooring is added, you will loose three to four inches of ceiling height.)

There should be a minimum of three meters of untouched compacted earth above the "ceiling" to prevent water intrusion and keep structural stability. Do not plant trees above your cave home! Grass and small shrubs are fine, but any plants with long roots will lead water down through the ceiling. Ideally, there should be a meter of wall thickness between cave rooms or adjacent caves. These walls can be penetrated by doorways and windows without negative consequences. All ceilings and doorways should be arched or domed, also for structural reasons. Doors should be constructed to allow ventilation and the free flow of air throughout the cave. Fresh air ducts to the more interior of cave rooms is advisable. Some choose to build reinforcing ceiling arches out of masonry for complete peace of mind. We have seen huge, two-story cave projects where the cave itself is dug out with large machinery, such as a backhoe. Today, in California wine country, they do the same to create cost-efficient wine storage for major wineries. Most cave houses, however, were in the past hand dug and these days are created using hydraulic or pneumatic hammers (like small jackhammers) backed up by shovel, pick, wheelbarrow and back-breaking work.

In terms of building codes and municipal planning, cave homes or other structures do not exist. They fail to meet code requirements written around brick & mortar or wood frame construction, and even in Granada, bureaucrats will tell you that "officially" no one should be sleeping in a cave dwelling. This is despite the fact that thousands of people do so every day. In France and Italy, the governments in the 20th century forced cave dwellers to move out, though now these areas are being repopulated. In Spain, the government continued to allow cave living, and both cave neighborhoods of Granada are protected historic areas. The failure to officially recognize the existence of cave houses and businesses does not prevent the municipality from issuing permits for cave "rehabilitation," though in Granada City, no completely new cave dwellings are supposed to be built.

We know of one "rehabilitation" permit that turned what was a single primary room with two much smaller adjacent rooms into a two-bedroom, one full-bath house with a large living room and two entry doors. What was a cave closet became a very spacious kitchen pantry with counter space and wine storage built into the cave wall. In other words, major cave expansion can be done using the permit as a cover. This is common practice in the Albaycin and Sacromonte. Many houses in the upper part of the Albaycin district have cave dwellings attached, and when gentrification occurs, new owners usually want larger and nicer caves. In other parts of Granada Province such as Baza, Galera, and Guadix, cave building is much less restricted, and even new construction is officially condoned.

Many cave houses have a small outer part of the house built with conventional construction. This protects the cave entrance and provides extra space. Services such as electricity and water can also enter here. Alternatively, there can simply be a doorway into the earth, usually with a brick frame and a door of decorative wrought iron, to allow as much light as possible into the cave.

For one example of cave dwelling, see Alhambra Vistas Vacation Rentals in Granada: www.alhambravistas.com.