Date Published: 22/05/2020
ARCHIVED - More loose masonry falls off the front of Murcia cathedral
ARCHIVED ARTICLE This is the second time this has happened in less than a month
The front of Murcia Cathedral was cordoned off again on Thursday afternoon after loose masonry fell from the principal façade of the building for the second time in less than a month.(Click
for more info about the Cathedral)
Firemen cordoned off the area and spent two hours inspecting the upper left-hand area of the façade to ensure that there was no risk to the public of further crumbling rock falling into Plaza Belluga below. Cathedral staff removed the fallen masonry and pieces of wire used to prevent birds degrading the decorative elements further and cleaned up the plaza.
Fortunately there were no injuries and the firemen were unable to detect any other potential risks during their inspection.
According to the Dean of the Cathedral, Juan Tudela, the whole of the façade had been last inspected by Diocese architects in December when work was undertaken to replace a lead plate in the upper right hand area of the facade, their conclusions at the time being that although some restoration was required, there was no immediate danger of crumbling rock falling off the front of the Cathedral.
A full restoration project for the main facade of the Cathedral has been drawn up, and was reportedly approved in March, since when the Covid crisis has paralysed progress on the project.
No work has yet been undertaken as the bishopric has applied for the project to be financed by the Ministry of Culture using money from the 1.5% grant scheme run by the Ministry of Public Works.
This scheme dedicates 1.5% of the budget allocated by the national government to the Ministry of Public Works towards the conservation, recovery and improvement of the national historic heritage.
Millions of euros is spent every year on projects right across Spain.
Huermur, an association in Murcia which is dedicated to the conservation of traditions and patrimony related to the Murcian “huerta” or agricultural heritage, which supplied the images, has complained about the situation, having highlighted the need to restore the front of the cathedral several months ago.
Two weeks ago they commented, “we can´t have bits falling off the Cathedral every year, “ and yesterday the association demanded urgent action to prevent further deterioration, reminding the cultural department yet again that the building was declared a “Bien de Interés Cultural “ as far back as 1931 and is “one of the most important monuments in the Region of Murcia.”
Image 2: Huermur, taken during the incident 2 weeks ago. Image 1 Murcia Today
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