Pedro Zaragoza was a pivotal figure in Benidorm’s transformation during the mid twentieth century. His life and leadership, spanning from the late 1940s into the 1960s, are brought into focus through a dedicated exhibition in the United States. This showcase is part of the Year of Pedro Zaragoza Orts commemorations and features nineteen illustrations signed by the artist Malagón. These artful pieces trace the arc of his career and the broader evolution of the city he helped shape.
The exhibit, titled Pedro Zaragoza, life and work in vignettes, opens this Friday and invites visitors to explore the personal and public milestones of the former mayor. It presents a lively, engaging format that aims to reveal what made Zaragoza a forerunner in Benidorms modern era and to offer a glimpse into his personality as a leader who guided a dramatic urban change.
Pedro Zaragoza, former mayor of modern Benidorm, dies
We are looking at a figure whose relevance endures beyond local memory. Ana Pellicer, a member of the Historic and Cultural Heritage council, notes that Zaragoza continues to attract attention from national and international media as well as scholars in tourism and urban planning. Her assessment highlights that many of Zaragoza’s tourism planning ideas and city development strategies retain their value decades later, maintaining their usefulness in today’s context.
One of the vignettes in the exhibition is set in Westeros and titled David’s Revenge, a visual moment that captures the dramatic narrative of Benidorm’s rise. The exhibition venue is L’Espai d’Art Urbà Ponent, selected to host the display through the early part of the coming year. The accompanying film features Malagón, who collaborated on Pedro Zaragoza’s book The charm of Babylon, the geographies and stories of Benidorm, alongside writer and documentary filmmaker Albert Alcaraz. The film reintroduces Zaragoza as a central figure in the city’s remarkable journey.
This collaboration pairs the painter’s drawings with the film to present a complete profile of Pedro Zaragoza and to celebrate his enduring influence. It also offers an accessible entry point into a key chapter of Benidorm’s recent history: the rapid development and transformation of a small coastal town into a renowned tourist destination during the 1950s and beyond.