`Centella' House
This chalet was built between 1927-1930 by the architect Juan Vidal Ramos, one of Alicante's most popular architects, also designer of buildings such as the MARQ, the Palacio de Diputación, and Alicante's Central Market,. Its owners were the 'Centella' family from its construction until 2009 when it was acquired by the City Council.
Although the building currently houses the Tourist Office and the areas of economic development, the original architecture has been respected. The building has an 'eclectic' style, typical of the period and its architect, a mixture of classical and modern styles. On the east façade there is a pediment, reminiscent of Greek temples, above it neo-baroque ornaments and inside there are modernist and even colonial elements.
In addition to the architectural importance of the house, there is a large and rich garden surrounding it, imitating the style of medieval Andalusian palaces, with geometric corridors bordering the areas where plants and trees grow, some of them of monumental size. The exotic species in the garden, such as the bamboo or the two large araucarias flanking the main façade, were brought from different countries on the world travels of the canning company Lloret y Llinares, owned by the 'Centella' family. This exotic and beautiful garden gave the house a modern and cosmopolitan touch, very much to the taste of the bourgeoisie of the early 20th century.
In the centre of the garden, under a large ficus, there is a metal pavilion with a small octagonal fountain surrounded by benches and flower pots covered with colourful tiles. This special corner of the garden has been restored, exactly like the original, so new generations of La Vila locals and visitors can continue to enjoy this historic botanical garden in which, by the way, one of its araucarias, 40 metres tall, is the tallest tree in the Valencian Community.
