Torremolinos to reconstruct one of the beach gazebos of historic Castillo del Inglés

The former Santa Clara barracks at Punta del Morro in Torremolinos was first converted into a home by a wealthy British tycoon who also wore a uniform, George Langworthy. It was then turned into a hotel, which came to be known as the Castillo del Inglés (Englishman's castle), an accommodation that was a pioneer in tourism on the Costa del Sol.

Nothing remains of that establishment, although the natural monument where it was built, a spectacular promontory that, until the extension of the promenade, separated La Carihuela and El Bajondillo, and the history are there. With the aim of remembering this landmark, the town hall is launching a project to build a wooden gazebo, the recreation of one of the proto-chiringuitos, which, with spectacular views of the Mediterranean, was one of the attractions of the Langworthy guesthouse.

"This proposal is intended to give greater weight and visibility to the main tourist and cultural enclaves and attractions of Torremolinos," reads the tender specifications for this work, which have been opened by the local administration. The project for the construction of this structure has already been drawn up by the architect, Gabriel Ángel Liébana Roldán, supervised by the urban regeneration department.

The idea is to provide locals and visitors with a new element of interest on the coastal strip, reminiscent of the original gazebos, on a rocky elevation and next to the promenade. It will be accessible and will have information panels about the original castle and the subsequent hotel establishment.

The work will be financed by the regional government, through the line of aid reserved for the tourist municipalities of Andalucía. Companies interested in submitting bids have until 11.59pm on 4 June, as detailed in the public sector procurement platform, where this file is available. The execution period for the erection of the gazebo is three months and the budget, including taxes, is 62,859.50 euros.

The council is also contemplating other works for the promenade area, such as those announced to provide it with shade, through the installation of pergolas, in Calles Bulto, Carmen and Mar, and Plazas Remo and Chiriva, along a total length of 1.2 kilometres. The budget is around 400,000 euros in this case.

Punta del Morro was the chosen location for a defensive battery in the 18th century. Later, George Langwhorty acquired it. Since then, this part of the municipality has a very interesting history linked to famous tourists. For example, this spot is the scene of the first graphically documented toplessness in Spain. The protagonist of this event was Gala, the companion and muse of the brilliant Salvador Dalí, in 1930, during her stay in the Englishman's accommodation. A sculpture commemorates this gesture. Picasso and Luis Cernuda also stayed there. These holidays inspired the story 'El Indolente', set in the Torremolinos of the time.