Almería. Spanish Civil War shelters

<%@LANGUAGE="Javascript" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Almería. Spanish Civil War shelters

ALMERÍA. SPANISH CIVIL WAR SHELTERS.

After a rehabilitation plan, which also included a project to set up a museum, the Spanish Civil War shelters in Almería can be visited.

The project is part of a plan developed by the Department of Economic Development, Employment and Tourism, which is promoting a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing elements of cultural and historical heritage in order to optimize tourism in the municipality.

The rehabilitation of the Spanish Civil War underground shelters has been added to the city's list of tourist attractions: from the original 4,5 kms some 900 metres can be visited now. Two pavilions have been built at Plaza Manuel Pérez García (also known as Puerta Purchena) and at Plaza Pablo Cazard. The concrete and glass building at Puerta Purchena is both the entrance and interpretation centre, while the second one is located at the exit point. The underground tour runs under the Paseo de Almería, in the Historical Quarter.

The architect Guillermo Langle was the person in charge to design the project. Son of a lawyer, poet and republican politician, he spent his childhood and youth in Almeria: he moved to Madrid where he graduated in Architecture in 1921. At the end of 1923 he returned his hometown, where he developed the whole of his work. In 1925 he gained the position of municipal architect. The antiaircraft shelters, able to lodge the 40,000 inhabitants of the city, is considered to be the most important among his projects.

The rehabilitation plan has included a project to set up a museum in the shelters that recreates a period atmosphere through documentary and graphic displays, first-hand accounts, original items and equipment, lighting, sound effects, etc. This will give visitors considerable insight into what life was like during the Spanish Civil War, bearing in mind that the city suffered frequent bombing raids throughout the period.

Both the new pavillions are barrier free and provide accessible facilities for PRM and wheelchair users. The entrance pavilion, in Puerta Purchena is where we can obtain information about the passages and their organization (reproductions from the original maps are displayed on the walls) and the exhibits in the underground museum. A short audio-visual with interesting explanations is shown, in addition to availability of leaflets (also in Braille). There is an adapted/accessible elevator that transfers visitors to the subsoil. About the visit along the passageways and galleries, we must say that not the whole are accessible for wheelchair users (mainly due to the width) and upgrading accessibility works will be carried out. Just the main galleries are about 2mts wide.