TOLOX SNOW PIT

The Snow Pits of the Sierra de Tolox are historic structures built in the high mountains to store snow fallen during winter and preserve it well into spring or summer. These constructions, also known as neveros, were essential before the invention of artificial refrigeration, and today they serve as a valuable testimony to traditional ingenuity in the use of natural resources in the Sierra de las Nieves.

They consist of circular excavations lined with dry stone, often covered or partially buried, where accumulated snow from winter storms was compacted. Inside, the snow was layered and insulated with straw or branches to prevent melting. Over time, the material transformed into ice, which was then extracted in blocks and transported by donkeys or mules to nearby towns such as Tolox, and even to the coast.

The ice had various uses: it was employed to preserve food, cool drinks, and also for medicinal purposes in hospitals and spa facilities. The snow pits are a clear example of popular engineering and rural creativity, and today they form an integral part of the ethnographic heritage of the Sierra de las Nieves National Park, attracting both hikers and scholars of local history.