08/06/2010
Vitoria- Gasteiz, 8th Juny 2010.- Santa Maria Cathedral will experiment during the next weeks a very delicate operation for repairing and rising up the archs of the southern vault transept. This work will last about a month and a change in the itinerary of the guided visits will be needed.The archs have lost their original curvature, they are excessively deformed and can not assume more movements, even though nowadays are protected by a metallic structure. It is a vey delicated and difficult operation, but it is necessary to do it.Precedents of the problemThe problem began in the XVIth century when they opened the Chapel of the Kings, and in the XIXth century the architect Saracibar has to reinforce the buttrest that joins the three archs, and for doing it the Santa Ana facade was closed.In the restoration of the 60s new cracks were found in the archs and they were treated with the technics of this period. The problem was temporarily solved, but the natural tendecy of the arch is to search new points to be reopened.What will be done?Using an hydraulic jack, they will push up the vaults between 4 and 40 centimetres. 18 hydraulick jacks will be needed for this operation, each one can support 5 tons. They will need 2 or 3 days to move the archsand a week for consolidating them.Change of the guided visitA change in the visit´s itinerary will be needed due to the safety measures, so now the visitors will have the opportunity of watching this repairing work from the triforium, that will be visited daily and not only on Wednesdays and Saturdays