Calpe Town Council has officially presented the project for the new Museu Fester, which will be built in Plaza de España, where the house of Poquet Beltrán is currently located. This project involves the recovery of a cultural facility that closed its doors approximately fifteen years ago due to structural problems in the old building and municipal economic difficulties.
This innovative building, designed by Procon Studio in Benissa, aspires to become an architectural landmark that will revitalise the historic centre of Calpe in both cultural and urban terms. The structure of the future museum will consist of some 400 square metres distributed over a ground floor and two upper floors, designed to integrate respectfully into its historical surroundings, while at the same time providing an outstanding contemporary character.
A unique feature of the project is its backlit façade, covered by a white lacquered ceramic latticework, which will change colour, giving the building a unique visual appeal that can be adapted to the different festive celebrations of the town.
The tour of the museum is designed to begin on the second floor, which covers 87 m² and will house the exhibitions dedicated to Holy Week, the festivities of El Carme and La Merced, the patron saint's day celebrations and the bullfighting festivities, as well as having a multipurpose area for events and temporary exhibitions with capacity for around 25 or 30 people.
On the first floor, with a surface area of 170 m², there will be a space dedicated to the Moors and Christians, where the costumes of the festive positions, pennants and a special exhibition of the typical festive trousseaus will be displayed in a more secluded and intimate environment.
Finally, the 160 m² ground floor will house technical services, toilets, reception, lift and stairs. Of particular note on this level is the innovative multimedia room, designed to project audiovisuals about Calpe's traditions on the walls and ceiling, making them visible even from the outside.
The Museu Fester forms part of the Plan for Sustainable Tourism in Calpe, within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, financed by Next Generation EU funds with the support of the Regional Ministry of Tourism of the Valencian Community - Turisme Comunitat Valenciana - and the Secretary of State for Tourism. This project will involve a total investment of 1,664,000 euros, of which 401,722 euros will be financed with Next Generation funds, supplemented by the Calpe City Council's own resources. The City Council will soon proceed to tender the works, which will have an estimated execution period of 10 months from their award.
This museum is envisaged as a living place that promotes interaction, collective memory and pride in the traditions of the inhabitants of Calpe.