Alicante Step by step - Universidad de Sevilla

Along the narrow street called Calle de Labradores stands one of the finest 18th-century
palatial homes pertaining to the local nobility: Berenguer de Marquina, the oldest, located
next to the Communion chapel of the concathedral; Maisonnave, also known as the Llorca
home, seat of the Municipal Archive preserving remains of a Late Roman necropolis;
Centro 14, currently part of the municipal buildings given over to the Youth Department
and an exhibition room; O’Gorman, situated at number 18 and currently up for restoration;
and the Marqués del Surco palace, number 19, where the Alicante chronicler, Rafael
Viravens, spent his last days.
Also in the old quarter of town, on the corner of Calle Miguel Soler and Calle San Nicolás,
is the Díe manor house and winecellar. At the higher end of the street, facing the Calle
Jorge Juan, stands the sober Marqués del Bosch palace, built in the early 19th century,
and containing a valuable library and furniture display.
Worthy of mention from the 20th century is the large neoclassical Provincial Council
building, Palacio de la Diputación Provincial, with ornamentation reflecting the influence
of the Levantine Baroque, and constructed by the architect Juan Vidal in 1931.
Behind this building is the so-called “Garden of the Celebrities of Alicante”, with tiled
friezes and monuments erected to some of the more notable personalities from the province
of Alicante.
OTHER CIVIC MONUMENTS AND
BUILDINGS OF INTEREST
Castillo de San Fernando (St Ferdinand Castle) tel. 96 514 32 90
This castle was built on the Tossal hill at the beginning of the 19th
century in response to Napoleon's approach. It was soon rendered
strategically useless, however, and became a local recreation site. It
still preserves parts of its walls and a doorway that make a stopover
worthwhile.
Panteón de Quijano (Garden)
This is one of the last typically romantic gardens in the entire city.
It was built between 1855 and 1857 and preserves a funerary mound
in its centre, crowned with an obelisk designed by the architect
Francisco Morell, which contains the remains of the civil governor
Trino González de Quijano, who died heroically in the exercise of his
duties as a victim of the cholera epidemic of 1854, which took a
severe toll on the local population.
Casa de la Asegurada (Ancient city granary) tel. 96 514 09 59
This is the oldest civic building preserved in the city. It dates from
1685 and was first conceived as a granary, later becoming a school,
and now being used as a Contemporary Art Museum.
Teatro Principal (Main theatre) tel. 96 520 23 80
Finished in 1847, the main theatre stands as a fine example of a
classical construction. Inside, it reflects notable architectural audacity
for its day, as it was built without supporting columns. It contains good
examples of decoration and ornamentation.
Plaza de Toros (Bullring) tel. 96 521 68 88
This is one of the oldest bullrings still in use, built in 1849, although it
has been restored and enlarged since then, with its current design dating
from 1888. It is currently the headquarters of the Bullfighting Museum.
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