26/12/2006
Vitoria-Gasteiz, 26 December 2006.
The Santa María Catedral in Vitoria-Gasteiz and its
restoration project are celebrating their success. Now halfway through
the restoration work (2000-2012), the Gothic Church is celebrating
reaching a record 500,000 visitors since it re-opened its doors to the
public by adding important new features to its guided tours and showing
its gratitude to everyone who has made it possible for the Old
Cathedral to become a sightseeing, cultural and architectural symbol
for the city.
In addition to the people of Vitoria, Álava and visitors,
the Santa María Cathedral Foundation would like to draw
attention to the support it has received from Caja Vital Kutxa Welfare
Work that has allowed the Old Cathedral to become the public attraction
it is today. As official sponsor, Caja Vital Kutxa has been supporting
the guided visits around the restoration works programme since the year
2000.
According to photographer Alberto Schommer, the restoration of the
Santa María Cathedral is a living being, because its
appearance changes as the research and restoration works progress. The
visitors are both witnesses to and participants in changes that can be
observed during the guided tour.
The guided tour includes a total of 12 new items relating to the
history, architecture, archaeology, art and, of course restoration of
the Santa María Cathedral itself.
New archeological excavations inside the church and works throughout
the building, a funerary museum showing the various graves uncovered, a
new walkway that practically allows the portico to be
“touched”, spectacular models faithfully recreating
the evolution of the village of Gasteiz, exhibitions,
audiovisuals… They are just a small sample of the new
additions offered by the Old Cathedral.
Free tours
To introduce the new content and celebrate with everyone who has made
it possible for the 500,000 visitor figure to be reached, the Santa
María Cathedral Foundation has decided to invite all the
people of Vitoria, Álava and visitors to come to the Old
Cathedral free of charge between 15 January and 28 February.
With this aim in mind, all homes will be receiving a letter of
gratitude with an invitation to everyone who would like to participate.
All you need to do is book your tour in advance by calling 945 255 135
and state the number of visitors, fill in the information on the
invitation as a reminder and hand it in at the Visitor Centre on the
chosen day. You can book any time from today, even though you have not
yet received your letter.
The Santa María Cathedral closed in 1994 but was opened to
the public again on 3 July 2000 with the first version of the guided
tour programme. Before this, in 1999, the Master Restoration Plan was
put on show in the “Among clerics,
merchants…” exhibition.
98,790 visitors in
2006
Visitor numbers have risen every year at a rate of 15%. The year 2006
ended with a new record number of visitors, a total of 98,790 (12,000)
more than in 2005. This gradual increase has meant the Santa
María Cathedral has recently reached the magical figure of
500,000 visitors. This was in September. By the end of the
year, the Vitorian church would have been visited by no less than
529,990 people.
“The restoration of Europe´s cathedrals should
follow the example of Santa María Cathedral. There is no
other place in the world where anything similar can be seen”.
This praise was forthcoming from writer Ken Follett, author of the
novel “The Pillars of the Earth”, who was
fascinated by the restoration project open to the public being carried
out at the Santa María de Vitoria-Gasteiz Cathedral.
The Old Cathedral allows visitors to see and participate in its
history, problems and the solutions for its recovery…
Specifically, the image chosen for the new guided visit campaign
features the interaction between the building, its restoration and its
visitors.
A father and child, both shown in black and white, are gradually
impregnated by the polychrome of the Portico Virgin. It is a metaphor
for how the Santa María Cathedral not only allows us to
look, but also to participate, a few centimetres away, with a unique
experience in the restoration of cultural heritage.
1.- MODEL ROOM
An audiovisual and five spectacular models help us understand the
evolution of history and planning in the city, from the old village of
Gasteiz (8th century) to the construction of the Cathedral.
The models are a faithful recreation of the place once known as El
Campillo until the 8th century.
2.- LA
BURULLERÍA FUNERARY MUSEUM
The interior of the Cathedral and its environment are a great
necropolis dating back to the Middle Ages. A variety of types
of grave have been discovered in plaza de la Burullería,
ranging from a simple pit to sepultures built with different structures
such as little brick walls or enclosing walls.
3.- EXCAVATION OF
THE ALTAR AND TRANSCEPT
The most eye-catching research and works revolve around the altar and
transcept. This is the only part of the church that has still not been
excavated. To ascertain the condition of the pillars, a complete
archaeological excavation will be carried out, which may also continue
to uncover interesting information about the origins of Gasteiz and the
development of Medieval town planning.
4.- FUNERAL CRYPT
First of all, the remains of the only three bishops of the Diocese
found buried in the altar will have to be exhumed:
Ramón Fernández de Piérola, Mateo
Múgica and Carmelo Ballester. A new stone and bronze
funerary crypt has been prepared under the Chapel of Christ for this
purpose. Francisco Peralta, who recently passed away, will also be laid
to rest within.
5.- CONSOLIDATING
THE FOUNDATIONS
The restoration includes reinforcing the pillars, some of which are
very badly deteriorated, and the construction of arches to strengthen
the foundations and on which the new floor structure will be placed.
Cal will shortly be injected into the walls and foundations.
6.- NEW EXCAVATIONS
IN PLAZA DE SANTA MARÍA
The results achieved inside and around the church have encouraged
archeological researchers carry on working and the existing Santa
María excavation zone has been made larger. There
are large panels giving details of the results.
7.- RESTORATION OF
THE PORTICO TO A FEW CENTIMETRES
The portico is one of the most important examples of 14th century
art. After years of analysing and studying its sculptures and
polychromes, a new walkway has been built that allows the remains of
the polychrome and magnificent carving to be viewed from just a few
centimetres away.
8.- TOWER AND
PORTICO PROJECT
One of the most representative projects is the restoration of the tower
and the portico. A great walkway allows part of the outside of the
building to be visited and for the structural work to be observed.
9.- NEW EXHIBITION
IN LA BOLERA
The Visitor Centre at the Santa María Cathedral, known as La
Bolera, comprises the first point of contact with the restoration
project. A taster for the visit, this area offers a general overview,
thanks to a new exhibition explaining the peculiarities and overall
character of the project.
10.- TWO NEW
AUDIOVISUALS
In addition to the panels, the audiovisual room in La Bolera is
screening a new documentary. Entitled “Open Restoration of
the Santa María Cathedral”, it offers a journey
through the characteristics of the project guided by the opinions of
some of the prestigious writers who have participated in the
“Encounters with the Cathedral” conferences. The
second audiovisual, about archeology, is shown in the Model Room.
11.- OUTSIDE SIGNAGE
The shape of Santa María Cathedral towers up on the
Vitoria-Gasteiz hill, and does not go unnoticed by the town´s
residents and visitors. Nevertheless, there are large panels with
photographs and the suggestive slogan “Open for
Works” that act as the display window for the surprises the
restoration of this Gothic church holds. Furthermore, there are a
number of viewing slots located in the Santa María plaza
wall giving views over the archeological excavations.
12.- ILLUMINATION
The Santa María Cathedral and its adjacent squares have been
fitted with an innovative lighting system that makes a direct
contribution to improving the quality of life and safety of the
residents and citizens passing through the Historical Quarter of
Vitoria-Gasteiz and secondly, lights up one of the most symbolic
monuments in the city. The lighting means it is possible to view the
plaza de Santa María excavations through the viewing slots
at night.
13.- 11TH CENTURY
WALL
The archaeological excavations performed in the subsoil of the Old
Cathedral in 2001 discovered the remains of an old wall, dating back to
the second half of the 11th century, including a stretch of its length
and one of its towers.
As a result of these excavations, a later study was able to confirm
that the walls in the highest part of the city are older than was
originally thought. They were traditionally thought to be the work of
Navarra king Sancho “the Wise”, and were therefore
dated 1181.
The most recently recovered stretch of wall open to the public is just
a small part of a more ambitious project. The itinerary takes visitors
over the walkways and a gardened walk that goes through part of the
defensive enclosure, giving views of 136 metres of wall panel, flanked
by two great towers.