The City Council of Soria will invest a total of €341,000 to improve the landscaping of San Nicolás, a church ruin that has been converted into a cultural venue thanks to a first investment of €400,000 in 2009. This amount is €35,000 they added in 2018 to protect the paintings that are still preserved.
This new intervention launched today contemplates the duration of implementation of the works for six months and is included in the EDUSI Funds for Sustainable Urban Development. In this way, the city council would already have all these funds that correspond to it running, except for the €700,000 clause intended for the expansion of the Palacio de la Audiencia.
This new work aims, on the one hand, to continue to restore Syria’s heritage and to give it a new cultural and touristic value. On the other hand, he seeks to delve into the line of obtaining funds from other departments, as Carlos Martinez confirmed that the City Council plans to continue to present itself to all possible calls for assistance, as in this European case.
The famous ruins of San Nicolás, in the old part of the city, have been hosting for several years the Festival of Spirits, the Soria Classica, and the impending short film competition or competitions that are expected to be associated with Christmas.
With the new intervention, the accessibility of the space will be improved and the lighting and sound conditions will be optimized for the development of the activities. In addition, an attached space will be used to build a new building that will serve as the dressing rooms. There will also be various displays in the crypt, tower and chapel.
On the possibility raised at some point of the upper enclosure of the space, Carlos Martinez realized that it was appreciated, but would require a much higher budget for this enclosure to improve the conditions of the place as a scenic space without affecting its heritage value.
Budget: 341,000 euros Duration: 6 months
Actions in the ruins are based on the idea of preserving the existing general appearance of the ruins, and of protecting from the elements some points that today remain unprotected:
- Direct sunlight on the frescoes of the Church of Santo Tomas and possible water seepage from the roof.
- Entry of water into the cellar due to exposure of some areas to weathering and revision of the roof of the tower in the front lining or in the gargoyle.
- At the same time, the measures allow us to expand the spaces that can be visited, such as the interior of the tower, which requires improved access.
general area performance
- Underground procedures for manholes, ducts, lighting management cables, and specialized data for technical equipment needed for sound, lighting, or special effects at events
- Some parts of the wood floors will be repaired or refurbished.
- The guardrail protecting the opening will be modified.
- Emergency lighting and corresponding signals will be installed, the opening direction of the three doors will be changed, and fire extinguishers will be installed.
- A mobile platform for technicians will be built in the workshop.
- Installation of a skylight in the ceiling of the spiral staircase.
- Majors, channels and gargoyles will be reviewed
- The architectural lighting inserted into the paving around the outer and inner perimeter of the ruins – currently HIT lights – will be replenished by other LED luminaires.
CRYPT performance
- A specific procedure is proposed which consists of closing the western wall and reinterpreting the niches-reservoirs which are very clearly visible, continuing to form the slopes on the area of the wall with the same existing water outlet, and finally, moving to waterproofing which prevents the entry of water into any stone and absorbent material. It will be necessary to dismantle and reposition the priest dock
- The existing box and semi-circular concrete steps which are currently damaged by use will be repaired and improved.
- Rust and damp spots will be removed through a general cleaning intervention and a specific restoration of the stone finishes of the vault
- A lattice door with a spring door closer will be installed at the mouth of the cellar staircase.
- In the case of the vault, due to its location in relation to the ‘seat area’, it can serve as a complement to the stage in dramas. The scenography technical control point will be installed with BT, DMX and UTM
tower performance
- An approved stair lift will be installed to enhance accessibility, and strive for its best integration. The existing door must be dismantled but will be dismantled.
- A mechanical door will be installed
- A light cleaning is suggested to restore the leather of the room
- The establishment of an automated access system to the tower room is being studied. Maps on the walls and vault of the room with a Romanesque theme are also planned here.
CHAPEL PERFORMANCE
- Recently intervention was made to preserve them and it was planned to place a door – as an altar guard – that would protect them from direct sunlight. Architect Francisco Yusta, a project for the Soria City Council, is a pending solution in progress and is now included in the project thanks to the aforementioned professional commissioning the design. They are included to adapt it as a window to the existing opening and leave the stone plinth in sight. The large dimensions (about 2.40 x 4.17) and the desire to avoid the frame in order to reduce the visual impact and damage to the structures, make it necessary to make a structure for the shutter with good sections, a support system and an efficient rotation.
- The formulas, colors and materials that were incorporated will be searched for in the ruins. As required by the CTPC in Syria, the restorer’s participation in the works was planned to protect against possible damages in the actions during the works and the subsequent development of the condition of the medieval paintings.
Facility building
- Taking advantage of the disparity, between the upper level of drainage protected by a stone lining and the postas street level, a semi-buried building is proposed to locate the complementary services of the cultural equipment of the antiquities. San Nicholas. It shall have no public use (changing rooms, toilets for those taking part in events, storage) and nothing of the Tower shall be permitted to be concealed from the south. The idea is that the current configuration of volumes in the environment hardly changes, in fact the roof terrace of the new basement will remain a public space now paved with the same slopes and materials as the Calle Postas pavement.
- The only element implemented in the southern area of the ruins is a ramp necessary to make toilets and changing rooms accessible to people with reduced mobility.
