Author(s)

J.A. MIRA RICO

Abstract

Valencian castles have been studied from very different approaches to a greater or lesser degree. This way, it has been possible to better understand their history and morphology, the materials used in their construction, their pathologies, as well as other aspects related to people who occupied them at different times in history. Furthermore, multiple interventions have been carried out in order to improve their condition and restore them for cultural, social and tourist uses. Nevertheless, the lack of analysis focused on how fortifications are managed should be noted. In order to tackle this situation, an unpublished doctoral thesis project is being developed within the Department of Prehistory at the University of Alicante since 2013. This project has a specific line of research focusing on cultural heritage management, especially on how castles are managed in the province of Alicante. To do this, a qualitative research methodology and a specific method of semi-structured interviews to specialists – mostly municipal technicians: architects, cultural heritage experts and archaeologists, among others – are employed. The interview consists of 59 questions grouped in six blocks: interviewed people data, general man- agement data, management data – research, management data – preservation, management data – restoration and management data – didactics and dissemination. This project will make known the preliminary results from the research applied in 43 fortifications, owned by several municipalities of the province of Alicante. To better facilitate their study, these castles have been distributed into seven groups depending on the number of inhabitants of the municipalities where they are located, from smaller to greater number of residents.

Keywords

castles, cultural heritage management, municipalities, province of Alicante, qualitative methodology