By Catherine McGeer •
Published: 28 Nov 2024 • 13:34
• 2 minutes read
THE Villa del Conde de Campillos, one of the last century-old villas on the Mar Menor’s shore, is getting a new lease on life thanks to its new owner, businessman Ángel Miranda.
A modernist masterpiece by Víctor Beltrí
Miranda, the founder of Murcia Fibra and CEO of Titán, is restoring the villa, which was designed by the renowned modernist architect Víctor Beltrí in 1903. As a ‘Bien Catalogado de Relevancia Cultural,’ (Culturally Significant Catalogued Property) the property had to be carefully restored to its original design.
Preserving cultural heritage with precision
After investing hundreds of thousands of euros, the villa’s layout remains mostly unchanged, keeping its historical style intact. The space, once home to aristocratic families, will soon feature artwork by local painters and sculptors like Gaya and Beltrán.
The villa’s architectural highlights
The villa’s striking façade includes a noble coat of arms and a spiral staircase leading up to the terrace. In addition to the restoration, the back of the property has been developed into six luxury apartments, which will soon be on the market. This investment is a rare example of private money helping to preserve the Mar Menor’s architectural heritage, a region where many historic villas have been lost to development.
Mar Menor’s Lost Villas
Over the years, the Mar Menor region has seen many of its historic villas disappear, victims of rapid urban development and changing priorities. Once symbols of elegance and leisure for wealthy families, these architectural buildings have often been replaced by modern buildings, leaving gaps in the area s cultural and historical identity.
The Villa del Conde de Campillos stands as one of the rare exceptions. Its restoration is not just about preserving a single building but also about setting an example for safeguarding the region s architectural heritage. By adhering to strict cultural preservation guidelines, this project shows that it s possible to honour history while embracing modern uses.
This effort highlights the need for more awareness and investment in saving what remains of Mar Menor’s unique heritage. Private projects like this one could inspire others to value and protect historic properties, ensuring they continue to tell the story of the region for generations to come. It’s a reminder that preserving the past doesn’t mean rejecting progress, it means finding a way to respect history while building for the future.
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Written by
Catherine McGeer
I am an Irish writer who has been living in Spain for the past twenty years. My writing centers around the Costa Cálida. As a mother I also write about family life on the coast of Spain and every now and then I try to break down the world of Spanish politics!
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