Benidorm requests Costas authorization to intervene archaeologically in El Tossal and El Castell

The Local Government Board of Benidorm has approved to request the Alicante Provincial Coastal Service "administrative authorization for the occupation of the lands of maritime-terrestrial public domain" to intervene archaeologically in El Tossal de La Cala and El Castell deposit, and thus develop the dig and musealization projects of both enclaves.

The councilor of Historical Heritage, Ana Pellicer, recalled that both the project of archaeological intervention and construction of the recovery and enhancement of the Castell de Benidorm and the "Archaeological intervention in the Castellum del Tossal de La Cala" have already been authorized by the Ministry of Culture and are financed "with European and municipal funds".

Pellicer has reported that "in parallel to this request, the City Council has initiated the recruitment file to tender shortly the execution of both interventions," which will be addressed "this year" and are included in the line of aid for the protection or recovery of the Valencian cultural heritage of the ERDF Operational Program 2014-2020.

The head of Historical Heritage has explained that the project planned in El Tossal comes to culminate the different "campaigns of excavation that the City Council has carried out at the hand of the University of Alicante", and that they have converted the Roman 'castellum' of the first century before Christ in "a reference for the study of the military forts of the time of the Sertorian Wars".

This project, valued at around 500,000 euros, plans to act on the entire surface of the site, especially on the western plot where last year archaeologists located the central street of the 'castellum' and in which the visible remains allow to deduce the existence of a set of buildings very similar to those already located in the excavated part of the fort. In addition, it includes consolidating and restoring the masonry walls of the 'castellum' rooms and the canvas of the wall, following the same operation used in the site's consolidation emergency works between the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018.

Regarding the second project, Pellicer pointed out that it is pursuing the enhancement of "this iconic significant enclave" of Benidorm such as El Castell, through its "excavation, consolidation and musealization" that will be developed in several phases to ensure at all times pedestrian traffic. This project aims to discover the remains that lie under the pavement of El Castell square, investigate and document them; stabilize and secure the slopes; protect the structural elements; and to value them maintaining the pedestrian use of the enclosure so that it is accessible at least visually.

The councillor recalled that this intervention, valued at 1.2 million euros, will also have a "didactic" component, since "it will show the public how the excavation is carried out".