Alicante mayor visits Santa Barbara Castle. Credit: Ayuntamiento de Alicante.
A historic route to Alicante’s Santa Barbara Castle is set to reopen after around 25 years as part of a major €2.4 million restoration project. Work will recover a 470-metre section of the fortress’s western wall, preserving remains from the Islamic and Christian periods while creating another way for residents and visitors to reach and explore one of the city’s best-known landmarks.
Historic castle route closed for 25 years
Alicante is preparing to reopen a historic route to Santa Barbara Castle that has been closed to the public for around 25 years, following a €2.4 million restoration agreement.
Alicante Council has signed an agreement covering 470 metres of the castle’s western wall on the slopes of Mount Benacantil. The project is expected to take around a year.
Work will include cleaning and repairing the walls, restoring masonry and carrying out structural reinforcement to protect the historic remains.
Walls span Islamic and Christian periods
The route includes sections from two distinct periods. Its upper section dates from the 11th-century Islamic period, while the lower section dates from the 13th-century Christian era.
Restoration will be accompanied by new ornamental lighting and information panels, and multimedia content explaining the history of the walls and their relationship with the castle.
The improvements are intended to protect the surviving historic structures while also making their story more accessible to people exploring the site.
New route will restore access from Alicante
Once completed, the project will also restore access to the fortress along the western wall from central Alicante, creating another way for residents and visitors to explore the site.
The Hortensia Herrero Foundation is financing the €2.4 million project, its first initiative of this type outside Valencia.
With work expected to take around a year, the restoration will bring a route that has remained inaccessible for approximately a quarter of a century back into public use.
Santa Barbara Castle attracts one million visitors
Santa Barbara Castle, standing 166 metres above sea level on Mount Benacantil, attracts around one million visitors each year.
The restoration of the western wall will add another dimension to visits, combining improved access with the conservation and interpretation of centuries of Alicante’s history.