After years of being closed to the public, the Castle of San Gabriel has reopened its doors this Wednesday to show what the new Museum of History of Arrecife is like and what it contains, which can be visited by the public from this Thursday. On the eve of that premiere, the head of the museum project, Professor Pablo Atoche, accompanied the media on a tour of the interior of the museum and offered an extensive explanation about the "difficulties of adapting the castle to its new exhibition uses", the contents, and future projects.
"To the landscape and natural attractions of the Arrecife marina, and the heritage values presented by the Castle of San Gabriel, a historical monument from the 16th century, will now be added the contents of the museum that houses the fortress inside and that will offer visitors a sample of the geology, landscapes, flora, fauna, and history of Arrecife within the framework of the island of Lanzarote", Atoche pointed out.
In addition to the building itself, which "already presents enormous relevance", the different rooms of the castle "house a permanent exhibition with selected contents that follow a narrative discourse through the different historical periods, focusing on the main events that determined the life of the people of Lanzarote in general and the people of Arrecife in particular".
A journey through history
Through the thick entrance door, you access the first rooms, which house aspects related to the natural environment, the protohistoric stage, and the archaeological heritage of Arrecife. After them, you reach the large central hall that houses the Late Middle Ages and the Modern and Contemporary Ages, with "events as significant for the history of Arrecife as the development of the port and fishing, the so-called Small War, or the acquisition of the island's capital".
After the central hall, you access the side corridors, where there are different elements linked to the seafaring past of Arrecife, the defense of the island, and various events related to the most recent history and historical-artistic heritage of the city.
A narrow stone staircase open next to the entrance door allows you to ascend to the upper floor, from which "it is possible to obtain a broad view of the Marina and the city of Arrecife". In it are the guard room and the belfry where the bell hangs that served to warn the inhabitants of the city of the arrival of some danger by sea with the alarm bell.
This new thematic center of the city of Arrecife, developed by the Department of Culture coordinated by Eva de Anta, "constitutes a unique offer that provides the citizens and visitors of Lanzarote with a new historical and cultural attraction, allowing those who come to it to discover a space recovered from History", they point out from the capital's City Council.
In addition, Atoche has explained that to the information panels in Spanish have already been added free distribution brochures in German and English and, in the coming dates, QR download codes for mobiles and audio guides in several languages will be enabled.
Open doors
From the reopening of the museum this Thursday and until January 30, the visit to the museum will be free for the residents of the island and also for those who visit the city. Subsequently, entrance prices of up to three euros will be charged for the visit. The visiting hours of the Castle of San Gabriel will be from Monday to Saturday, from ten in the morning to five in the afternoon.
The inaugural act, in which a plaque will be unveiled and a small musical performance will take place by the Classical Orchestra of Lanzarote, will take place on the night of this Wednesday, starting at 8:00 p.m., on the esplanade in front of the old military fortress.
For this act, the attendance of the President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Paulino Rivero, the President of the Cabildo, Pedro San Ginés, the Mayor of Arrecife, Manuel Fajardo, and the Councilor for Culture, Eva de Anta, among other authorities, is planned.