Exhibition: A Vision of Alicante in the 19th Century
The Municipal Archive of Alicante invites you to take a journey back in time with the exhibition A Vision of Alicante in the 19th Century, a showcase that reveals what the city’s main streets and squares looked like almost two centuries ago.
The exhibition features 65 photographs, prints and historical documents, displayed both inside the Municipal Archive and in the windows of the building on Calle Labradores. Among the highlights is the first panoramic photograph of Alicante, taken in 1858 by the renowned photographer Jean Laurent and preserved by the National Library.
The collection includes unique scenes such as the old Paseo de la Reina (now Rambla Méndez Núñez), wine barrels in the Port ready for export, Avenida Doctor Gadea almost devoid of buildings, daily life in Plaza Gabriel Miró and La Montañeta, as well as images of the Postiguet and Explanada bathing areas.
The exhibition also captures historical moments, such as Queen Isabel II’s visit in 1858 for the inauguration of the Madrid–Alicante railway line, during which the aforementioned panoramic photograph of the city’s seafront with Santa Bárbara Castle in the background was taken.
A unique opportunity to explore Alicante’s urban and social transformation through historical documents and images of great heritage value.
📍 Municipal Archive of Alicante (9 Labradores Street)
📅 From 26 January until May 2026
🎟️ Free entry
