The administrative board of Malaga's Port Authority has finally announced that a new licence for the famous Ferris wheel has been approved. Malaga City's Ferries wheel has been out of action since 23rd August this year. The new licence will allow the wheel to turn in its present location behind the Muelle Heredia bus station for another year.
Before the expiry of the new licence, Mederyt, a promotional company in charge of the wheel's management, will be permitted to apply for a six month's extension.
Controversial Tourist Attraction
The 70m-high big wheel may be very popular with visitors, but not all residents like to see it continue in its present spot. People living close by have claimed that the wheel is a nuisance. Locals had to keep their windows shut and their blinds down to shut out the noise and nosy people who pass by their homes taking videos or photographs of the wheel.
Malaga City's Ferris wheel (Noria de Malaga) is Europe's largest itinerant big wheel. It opened in September 2015, offering visitors amazing views across Malaga Port all the way to Plaza de la Marina, the Cathedral and Gibralfaro Castle. Once the cabins are filled with 8 passengers each, the wheel begins its rotations, which takes 15 minutes. During that time, the 42 air-conditioned cabins also rotate, giving spectators three different viewpoints.
Malaga's big wheel has a capacity of more than 1,300 passengers an hour, no wonder local residents are complaining about the hordes of people lining up in front of their homes. Never mind that it's lit up with 20,000 LED light bulbs at night that have brought magic to this part of the port area – many neighbours of the wheel still claim it's an eyesore.
It took 25 trailers to deliver the sections that make up this 600-ton heavy-weight attraction. It takes a crew of 42 people two weeks to erect the wheel.
Thanks to its 70m extension it is the largest Ferris wheel in Europe that can be disassembled and put up somewhere else. Before arriving in Malaga, the wheel stood in Valencia, and before that, it wowed the crowds in Zaragoza and Andorra a Vella. A ride costs 10.00 euros for adults and kids under 18 pay 7.00 euros each.
Officially named Mirador Princess, the big wheel exceeds Malaga Port's historic lighthouse by nearly 40 meters. Although The London Eye is bigger still, measuring 135m in height, Malaga's Ferris wheel is the largest that can actually be dismantled and moved. The wheel is only outranked in height by the Port's cranes (100m) and Malaga Cathedral (84m). There are plans afoot to replace the itinerant big wheel with a permanent one, which would be relocated within the Port area and measure 100m.
The Ferris wheel is in operation daily, starting to turn at 11.00 am. On average, the wheel sees ca. 800 passengers per hour go up into the blue skies.