The works of the new roof of the Cathedral of Malaga will start after Holy Week of 2023 . This is the forecast of the Diocese and the team of architects in charge of the monumental project, which has already secured 12.5 of the 17 million euros that it will cost to finance the work on the temple.
The expected intervention will put an end to the leaks that have been affecting the building practically since the beginning of its construction almost 500 years ago. The stoppage of the works in 1782 not only left the south tower of the temple unfinished -one of its main hallmarks-, the vaults were also exposed when the gabled roof that Ventura Rodríguez left reflected in his original project was not built . .
The result of that unfinished work is a temple whose vaults crack , harming not only the structure, but also the valuable decoration inside the basilica, where for years nets have protected the faithful and tourists from possible landslides.
The urgency to safeguard the main and most visited monument in the capital has permeated all public administrations, which have not only accelerated the progress of the project, but have also contributed millions in contributions to the works.
The largest amount confirmed to date is that of the Junta de Andalucía , which is going to contribute 5.3 million euros. To this will be added another 3.5 million advanced by the Provincial Council and the million on account of the City Council of Malaga , which in the future could expand its contribution. It remains to be known the figure in which the contribution of the central government will materialize , whose Minister of Culture, Miquel Iceta, showed on November 17 in a visit to the capital his willingness to collaborate in the financing.
In addition to these contributions, the Bishopric has requested an initial loan of 3 million euros, as confirmed this Friday by the dean of the Cathedral, José Manuel Ferrary. With these figures on the table, the works already have 12.5 of the 17 million necessary for their execution. To continue advancing towards the objective, the Diocese has launched a new fundraising campaign so that the people of Malaga and anyone who wants to collaborate can do so.
"It is an appeal to all of Málaga on foot to collaborate and do what everyone can do", indicated the dean, who hopes that the project will also have the financial support of local businessmen and foundations bank .
For this campaign of citizen donations, five accounts have been opened in five different entities and two numbers (06397 and 06437) with which to make contributions through Bizum . In addition, a specific section has been opened through the website www.donoamiiglesia.es to make the donation, where a link is provided to consult the tax benefits before the Treasury and fill out the forms.
“We have to understand that we must safeguard our heritage . The cathedral is a temple in which the liturgy of the Church is carried out, but also other activities that are in keeping with this temple, mainly cultural ones", explained Manuel Ferrary during the presentation, in which he was accompanied by the architect Juan Manuel Sánchez La Chica.
Both have expressed their desire that the tender be ready before the end of the year and to be able to give the "starting gun" to the work in the second quarter of 2023, predictably after Easter. The works will take at least 30 months , although the forecast is that they will be carried out from the southern part of the building, on Calle Postigo de los Abades, to leave the usual access to the Patio de los Naranjos free and not hinder the liturgical activity and tourist in the temple.
On the other hand, the current visits to the roofs will be suspended , which is another of the attractions that are intended to be improved with the reform. Although, the possibility of organizing specific tours so that citizens can see the progress of the works is being studied.
«The visit will be preserved and enriched. We are going to have the exterior perimeter promenade in which to enjoy the temple itself and its location in the city and on the other hand the vaults and that wooden frame where we are going to have a space, not only for the enjoyment of that heritage, but also for the explanation of the history of the construction », has underlined Sánchez La Chica.
The project
If everything goes according to plan, at the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026 the Cathedral could face another five centuries of history with the certainty that leaks will not be a problem. The architects in charge of the project have taken as a reference the model that Ventura Rodríguez left on paper in 1754, author -among many other works- of the Liria palace owned by the Casa de Alba or the Cibeles and Neptuno fountains in Madrid.
“We are not starting from scratch. We are so lucky to let ourselves be guided by history", pointed out Juan Manuel Sánchez La Chica, "all the master builders who have worked on the Cathedral have come up with their own ideas, but above all they have followed a very clear course that established from the beginning and we continue with that continuity, but updating to today's technology and functionality.
The first step in the works will be the removal of the layer of lead and bricks that covers the exterior of the vaults. A solution installed 15 years ago on the original stone that was unsuccessful , cracking and opening the way for leaks again.
In the more than 250 plans and 2,000 pages of the project, the installation of a gabled roof is included , which will have a structure of laminated wood and steel that can be visited both inside and outside. On this, a covering of glazed ceramic tiles will be placed in two tones: honey and cream, with the intention of homogenizing the roof of the temple with the roofs of both the Episcopal Palace and the church of the Tabernacle, which is part of the cathedral enclosure.
In the same way, interventions will be made on the domes of the nave and the ambulatory, on the intermediate roofs located on the chapels of the temple and on the entire system of downspouts. Although the materials that best match the fabric of the Cathedral will be used, the solution is the lightest possible , as the architects have already advanced. In addition, the project will use fireproof coatings and state-of-the-art devices for the prevention, detection and extinction of fires . A reassuring measure considering how the fire destroyed the spire and the roof of the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral in April 2019.
(
visit link)