Residents and walkers on La Misericordia beach are calling on the City Council to replace the bronze plaque that explained the origin of the name of the Los Guindos chimney, stolen years ago. A petition on change.org supports the request.
The Torre Mónica, the 96-metre brick chimney that stands on La Misericordia beach, lost the bronze plaque that explained its name years ago. The pedestal where it was placed now shows an empty space, and local residents are demanding that the City Council of Málaga restore the signage so that new generations can learn the origin of its name, as reported by Diario Sur.
The original sign was drawn in the dark in 1993 by José Carlos Selva, but it disappeared from the brick after the municipal restoration in 2007. Since then, the name has survived in the city's speech: anyone passing by the structure and asking what it is called always receives the same answer, "It has been, is, and will be our Torre Mónica," agree young people, retirees, and residents of the neighbourhood.
The story behind the nickname is a declaration of love. "I was told that Torre Mónica comes from a boyfriend who wanted to do something special for his girlfriend, who climbed to the top after a fight to prove he loved her," recounts a young man at the foot of the chimney. The oral tale has been passed down from parents to children and has become part of Málaga's identity.
"I tell my daughter the story when we walk by here, and she already knows this is Torre Mónica. The history of a city cannot be erased"
The official plaques in the area do recall the industrial past of the old lead foundry of Los Guindos, but no panel explains the popular origin of the name. In light of the loss of the stolen emblem, passers-by are asking the City Council to restore the signage. Some go further and ironically suggest repainting the name at the top: "I even support repainting 'Mónica' at the top, but if that can't be done because it's a heritage site, at least put up a big plaque with the story."
The request has also reached change.org, where a petition has been launched to request the replacement of the plaque. The chimney belongs to Málaga's industrial history, but for the residents, the heart of the structure belongs to Mónica and José Carlos, and they demand that the city restore the memory of the monument to its rightful place.
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