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San Miguel Tower is restored in Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park of Almeria
A. Maldonado
Almería
Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 14 :51
The restoration of the San Miguel Tower in Almeria’s Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park has begun. The Asset of Cultural Interest will be transformed into a tourist centre, exhibition space and vantage point.
Virtual Cabo de Gata, exploring the seabeds and salt flats
The tower will provide visitors with an immersive digital experience. Tourists can use mobile apps to explore virtual recreations and recreate the park’s iconic landmarks.
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The San Miguel Tower (the Salt Flats) and Las Salinas.
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Cerro del Fraile and Isleta del Moro.
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The Arna Shipwreck – A virtual dive that explores the sunken vessel and local marine biodiversity. It also includes unique geological formations.
Beyond preservation, this project seeks to integrate the tower in the daily social dynamics along the coast.
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Ground Floor: A dedicated information center for the Cabo De Gata – Nijar Natural Park.
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Upper Floor: Accessible via a newly restored stairway, an exhibition space is located on the upper floor.
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The Roof: An amazing view of the Bay of Almeria and the Cape.
The project was initially scheduled to start early in 2026. However, it has been delayed because of the rain and wind that battered Andalusian Coast in the first part of 2026. The project will now be completed in the summer.
Almeria City Hall awarded the contract to Vrestudio 360, an IT company, for 66.211.20 Euros as part of Tourism Sustainability Plan for Destinations “Cabo de Gata: paradise of active tourism”. The plan was financed by Next Generation EU funds, and a total of three million Euros were invested.
Virtual Cabo de Gata
The project involves the creation of virtual recreations for some of the most important sites in the Cabo de Gáta Natural park, including the Torre de San Miguel and Las Salinas.
The area where Arna sank will be recreated, allowing visitors the opportunity to virtually explore the wreckage, learn about marine biodiversity and discover the geological formations surrounding it.
These experiences will be accessible through mobile apps that allow users to interact with the natural world in a respectful, interactive and educational way.
The first objective is to preserve the tower, through a respectful and functional intervention. It will improve its cladding as well as architectural elements. All this within the legal limitations established by the Almeria General Urban Plan (PGOU), Andalusian Historical Heritage Laws 14/2007 and 16/1985. The project seeks to maintain the constructive and architectural authenticity of the building, built 250 years ago under the direction of the engineer Tomás Warluzel D’hostel.
Second, the second goal is to increase the value of the building. The building will only be conserved if it is done with original or compatible materials, such as stone, plaster, etc.The project is aimed at giving the tower a social and functional value by transforming it to a living area within its natural tourist and cultural surroundings.
The tower will house a tourist information point for the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, integrating the building into the daily dynamics of the area and encouraging visitors and residents to get to know it. A staircase will lead to the upper level, where an exhibition will be located. The roof of the building will be transformed into a viewing platform for the Bay, Cape, and Salinas. Access and parking will be controlled.
