NEW USES OF CASTLES OWNED BY MUNICIPALITIES IN THE PROVINCE OF ALICANTE (SPAIN) DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE 21ST CENTURY.

The province of Alicante is an administrative unit belonging to the Valencian Community, one of the 17 autonomous communities that make up Spain, and it is located in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. Its historical vicissitudes have motivated the existence of many castles. All of them mark the province from north to south and from east to west. After losing their military and/or residential functions, many castles were abandoned and became ruins of reference in their landscape. Their recovery began without a defined use in the second half of the 20^th century. However, the tourist development of the province of Alicante, under the Costa Blanca brand, has turned these castles into a first-rate cultural and tourist resource. In this way, many actions have been carried out on their cultural and tourist use to learn about the history of the places where they are. For this reason, the present work is committed to reflect on the new uses of these castles during the first quarter of the 21^st century and the remains for their preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]