Designed as an ideal cinema by its architect, the venue opened in October 1925 on a site on Avenida de Zorrilla, today known as Avenida de la Constitución. The project credited Juan Vicente Santafe and Arellano. The theater accommodated 1,419 spectators, with the ground and first floors forming the preferred zone, while the second floor housed the general seating, commonly called the gallinero, accessible from Artilleros Street. Over its long history, thousands of films were shown here, and the venue hosted boxing matches, music concerts, lyric performances, and backstage events with a full set of stage equipment and locker rooms. The cinema stands out as an architectural landmark, a reference point for the ideal cinema during the arrival of Cinemascope, when the closest boxes near the screen were removed to widen the viewing field, illustrating the evolution from purely theatrical imitation to a distinctive cinematic identity. It remains the only surviving monumental cinema from Alicante and from among several in the Valencia Community and Spain. In 2005 a special platform called Save the Ideal was created to prevent losing this heritage treasure, whose façade remains a striking example of Art Deco geometry from the twenties.
Today the interior of the Ideal sits in ruins, with many proposals but little concrete progress. This spurred the Institut Valencià de Cultura to envision it as the headquarters of the Film Library. On March 22, 2012, INFORMACIÓN reported that the old cinema would be repurposed into a dental macroclinic, potentially attracting foreign visitors to Alicante. The Generalitat Valenciana Department of Culture then stated strong political support to restore the ideal cinema and indicated ongoing communications with the owner to acquire the property and transform it into a cultural center for the city. By January 2019 it was confirmed that Baraka, a real estate group led by Oriolan businessman Trinitario Casanova, had purchased the building with plans to renovate it into a luxury hotel under the NH Collection brand, with a total budget around 18 million euros. The envisioned hotel would feature more than 60 rooms, a restaurant, a gym, and a common living area that would honor the original cinema façade while common spaces would be shared. Baraka’s proposal had set 2022 as a potential opening horizon.
Six months after that deal, the Generalitat assessed that acquiring the building was not feasible, valuing the property at 1.8 to 2.5 million euros, figures far from the price agreed with the owners, which would be around 6 million euros. The decision followed a meeting of the Cultural Heritage Valuation Board, which reviewed the option of exercising a right of withdrawal to purchase the site.
Meanwhile, Baraka is pursuing a project for the site that would house the Carmen Thyssen Center for Cultural Innovation, a high-tech space featuring 50 works by renowned artists and hosting temporary exhibitions of the Baroness. This shift would override the hotel proposal and would require involvement from the Alicante Provincial Council, which would oversee a twenty-year lease to operate a cultural and tourism hub. Baroness Carmen Cervera recently signed an agreement to lend consulting services in art and cultural innovation and to participate in events at Baraka’s cultural center bearing her name. The plan is estimated to involve about 25 million euros in total investment, including building purchase, rehabilitation, and startup costs, alongside a four-star hotel and a central cultural center equipped with the latest exhibition technology. The Baraka group believes there are no urban planning obstacles, given the shared aim of the City Council and the Generalitat to designate the property for cultural use.
In the meantime, with Baraka’s ambitions and the Consell’s decision not to pursue withdrawal, regional leaders expressed intentions for Alicante to host a Thyssen Center headquarters in 2022. The local deputy indicated multiple meetings with the baroness, exploring a potential Mubag-backed exhibition topic she is excited about. While the precise location for the headquarters remains undecided, it is described as a symbolic venue. The project now awaits confirmation from Diputación, which has requested additional reports from Baraka and is waiting on a response to a previously submitted plan. Officials emphasize ongoing work on the project, yet acknowledge that legal issues could affect its realization. In Alicante, the narrative continues to unfold with new plans and shifting priorities that reflect a city eager to preserve its heritage while pursuing bold cultural investments.
Ultimately, the situation in Alicante remains fluid, balancing preservation, redevelopment, and cultural ambition. The tale of the Ideal cinema reflects broader discussions about heritage, urban planning, and the best path forward for a city that values its cinematic legacy as a living part of its identity.