Santa Bárbara Castle in Alicante Prepares for Augmented Reality Experience

How would Alicante have seen the 'Moor's Face' grow from a small village to the impressive city that stretches across the bay? How would the War of Succession have been experienced from the heights of Santa Bárbara Castle while the French bombarded the fortress and built the mine that blew up half of Mount Benacantil in 1709? And the construction of San Fernando Castle during the War of Independence? What if these events could be seen firsthand from the Alicante fortress?

The Alicante City Council is finalizing an augmented reality project that will allow visitors to explore Santa Bárbara Castle and the Alicante Museum of Contemporary Art (MACA) in a completely different way. "An experience that can take you from one moment to another in history and that you will be able to see," explains the Councilor for Innovation and New Technologies, Antonio Peral.

Although the details are still being finalized, especially in the Tourism and Culture departments - responsible for both milestones - the project is progressing well under the umbrella of an initiative funded by European funds. In fact, deadlines are pressing, and before June 2025, the project must go to tender, and by May 2026, the entire system should be completed.

The proposal is part of Alicante's Tourism Sustainability Plan, which includes among its axes a budget of 120,000 euros aimed at digitalizing the destination, augmented reality in Santa Bárbara Castle, and improving digital applications and the design of the MACA website.

This proposal will also revolutionize the way citizens and tourists approach the city's Museum of Contemporary Art, allowing for a completely different visit than we are used to. The possibilities in this space are also endless. Will Sempere explain his work or those paintings he donated that were the seed of this collection? Or will we be able to walk among the strokes of Juana Francés? "The experience of the visit will significantly improve thanks to this type of multimedia applications," says Peral.

Indeed, the future has already arrived in Alicante and its monuments. "There are countless possibilities that technology can provide us with, making the visit to Santa Bárbara Castle and the MACA more attractive, which are the two sites where it will be incorporated," concludes Antonio Peral.