15/05/2002
15/05/2002 Among its many interesting features, the Santa María Cathedral Foundation website offers netizens the opportunity of finding out all about the restoration project, going on a spectacular virtual tour of every corner of the cathedral building, making on-line reservations, keeping up with the Foundation´s many cultural and informative activities and purchasing a wide range of attractive merchandising items. This initiative, developed in collaboration with the Department of the Economy of the Alava Provincial Government, is another step forward along the road to spreading information about and raising the value of the city´s old gothic cathedral.
The website, which can be found at www.catedralvitoria.com, is a direct, permanent and constantly up-dated channel of communication with all areas of society, that takes full advantage of the facilities offered by internet technology. As in other areas of the restoration work, here, the Santa María Cathedral Foundation uses the most advanced technology to provide users with a wealth of information about all aspects of the project, including architectural repair, culture, tourism, scientific research and dissemination and urban renewal, among others.
One of the website´s greatest assets is that its contents are targeted at both the general public and professionals and specialists working in the fields of Architecture, Archaeology, History and Art. Thanks to its easy, user-friendly design, visitors to the website can gain a clear idea of all aspects of the cathedral restoration project.
The website is an à la carte menu offering a wide range of different services. It is designed as an interactive channel of communications between the Foundation and visitors, with the aim of transmitting the importance of the Old Cathedral project. The website is divided into three main first-level sections: Cathedral, Restoration and Foundation. Each section contains information about its corresponding theme and is accompanied by a wide selection of photos of both the building itself and the various restoration projects. The Cathedral section takes visitors on a journey back in time, charting the building´s constructive evolution throughout its various historical periods. Written descriptions are accompanied by photographs and metric plans.
The Restoration section contains information about the Master Plan, the draft plan, the various restoration projects and the current state of the work. Although its contents have been compiled, they will not be made available to the general public until the official publication of the Master Plan, scheduled for June of this year. From this moment on, the contents will be periodically up-dated to include any new developments.
The Foundation section includes information about the more cultural and tourist aspects of the restoration project. Visitors can read about the Santa María Cathedral Foundation´s aims and organisational structure, see for themselves the novelties included in the new Programme of Guided Tours and make on-line reservations. The section also includes a newsletter outlining the latest developments, a membership application form for those wishing to join the Circle of Founders and an on-line shop offering a wide range of attractive Foundation articles and gift items.
In addition to the three main sections outlined about, the website also
contains a series of sub-sections providing quick access to the virtual
tour, on-line reservations, the newsletter, shop and letter box. This
design provides netizens with direct access to the most interactive sections
of the Santa María Cathedral Foundation´s website, thereby
making it easier for them to keep in touch at all times.