The mayor of Elche, Pablo Ruz, has announced plans to restore the Torre de Ressemblanc, a defensive structure over 400 years old that played a crucial role in protecting the city from Berber incursions. This building is classified as a Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC), a designation for properties of cultural interest in Spain, and is part of the city's historical heritage and the surrounding Palmeral, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Local Government Board has approved the execution, adaptation, and rehabilitation project for the tower, with a budget of €250,042.09. The next step involves tendering the works, with the aim of commencing restoration in the first quarter of 2027, a process expected to last approximately one year.
“This tower is situated in a truly wonderful environment, next to the main branch of the Acequia Mayor, which represents one of the most iconic views of our Palmeral, but it urgently requires intervention,” Ruz stated.
The rehabilitation efforts will focus on the comprehensive restoration of the tower, ensuring that original construction techniques and materials are respected, while prioritising the building's safety and stability. Key actions will include wall consolidation, crack repairs, vegetation removal, facade cleaning, and the reconstruction of deteriorated elements.
Additionally, historical elements such as the coat of arms of the Santacilia family, stone brackets, and the wooden pinnacle of the dome will be restored. The project will also involve complete rehabilitation of the roof to improve waterproofing and restore the original red colour of the spiral staircase dome.
Interior works will address humidity treatment, wooden structure repairs, carpentry renewal, and electrical system modernisation. Ornamental exterior lighting will be installed, and plans for musealisation aim to recover the tower as a cultural and heritage resource, making it accessible to the public.
To facilitate this, an independent access point from the La Torreta Institute will be created, physically separating the two spaces and improving internal connections. The project also includes landscape integration of the site, enhanced access routes, and the creation of shaded waiting areas for students. This initiative aligns with the future recovery of the surrounding area of Calle Curtidores and the Acequia Mayor, aiming to highlight the historical landscape of the Palmeral. Once restored and musealised, the tower will be opened to the public, similar to the Torre dels Vaillo.
