The Debates on Earthquake-Resistant Construction in Spain After the 1884 Earthquake in Andalusia

Abstract On 25 December 1884, Andalusia was hit by a devastating earthquake that mainly affected the area between the provinces of Granada and Málaga. This natural disaster inflicted damage on 106 towns and led to the near destruction of some of them, such as Arenas del Rey, Güevéjar, Albuñuelas, and Ventas de Zafarraya, which had to be entirely or partially rebuilt. This article examines the lively debates concerning earthquake-resistant construction systems that followed in Spain after this catastrophic event. It analyzes the theories, projects, and various solutions that were developed in the aftermath of the earthquake, situating them in the broader international context of the time. In conducting their research, the authors engaged in a critical study of multiple sources, including articles that appeared in specialist publications, reports of scientific commissions established after the disaster, and the memoirs of some contemporary architects, supplemented by photographic images and construction drawings.