Restoration of San Miguel Tower begins in Almeria’s Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park

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The project will convert the building into a tourist information point, exhibition space and viewpoint, with an investment of more than 60,000 euros

A. Maldonado

Almería

Tuesday, 17 March 2026, 14:51

Work to restore the San Miguel tower in Almeria province's Cabo de Gata-Nijar natural park has started. The aim of the project is to turn the Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC) into a tourist information point, exhibition space and viewpoint.

Virtual Cabo de Gata: exploring the seabed and salt flats

Once open, the tower will offer visitors an immersive digital experience. Through dedicated mobile applications, tourists can explore virtual recreations of the park’s most iconic landmarks, including

• The San Miguel Tower and Las Salinas (the Salt Flats).

• Cerro del Fraile and Isleta del Moro.

• The Arna Shipwreck: A virtual dive to explore the sunken vessel, local marine biodiversity, and unique geological formations.

Beyond preservation, the project aims to integrate the tower into the daily social dynamics of the coast:

• Ground Floor: A dedicated tourist information hub for the Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park.

• Upper Floor: An exhibition space accessible via a newly restored staircase.

• The Roof: A spectacular viewpoint overlooking the Bay of Almeria, the Cape, and the Salinas.

The work was scheduled to begin in early 2026, but have been delayed due to the heavy rain and wind which battered the Andalusian coast in the early part of 2026. The project is now due to finish in summer.

Almeria city hall awarded the contract for the ICT equipment of the San Miguel Tower to IT company Vrestudio 360 for 66,211.20 euros as part of the Tourism Sustainability Plan in Destinations 'Cabo de Gata, paradise of active tourism', financed entirely with Next Generation EU funds and with a total investment of three million euros.

Virtual Cabo de Gata

The project includes the development of virtual recreations of some of the main sites in the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, such as the Torre de San Miguel, Las Salinas, Cerro del Fraile and Isleta del Moro.

It will also include a recreation of the seabed in the area where the Arna sank, allowing visitors to virtually explore the wreck, learn about marine biodiversity and discover the surrounding geological formations.

These experiences will be available through mobile applications that will allow access to the contents from personal devices, facilitating an interactive, educational and respectful visit to the natural environment.

The first objective of the project is to guarantee the preservation of the tower through a respectful intervention that improves its cladding and architectural elements, always within the legal limits established by Almeria's general urban plan (PGOU), the Andalusian Historical Heritage Law 14/2007 and the Spanish Historical Heritage Law 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.

The second objective is to enhance the heritage value of the building. Once its conservation has been guaranteed, using only original or compatible materials (stone, plaster, etc.), the project aims to give the tower a new social and functional value, turning it into a living space within its natural, tourist and cultural environment.

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. On the upper floor there will be an exhibition space which will be accessed by a staircase. The roof will be converted to turn it into an a viewpoint over the Bay, the Cape and the Salinas and controlled access and parking will also be central to the project.