During their tour, they were accompanied by the Director of the Iberdrola Foundation, Rafael Landin, the Vicar General of the Diocese of Ciudad Rodrigo and representatives of the City Council and the Santa María la Real Foundation, in charge of the implementation of the works.
"The work developed in Hinojosa is part of a much broader and more ambitious project, the Atlantic Romanesque Intervention Plan," explained Enrique Saiz, who has emphasized the innovative nature of the Plan. "This plan, like other projects of Castile and Leon, believes that the monuments make up part of a territory and are a tool for generating development in these regions," continued the General Director of Heritage. "Public and private collaboration and the support of the Iberdrola Foundation for this project are also essential since they have served to create a new model of patronage, in which Heritage is seen as an investment and as a potential wealth for the territory," he concluded.
So far, the Atlantic Romanesque Intervention Plan, according to data provided by the General Director of Heritage, has reached in Castile and León, a performance level of 40% with 800,000 euros of public-private investment and a total of 22 interventions in 10 temples of Zamora and Salamanca.
Another important aspect of the project is the commitment to innovation and preventive conservation of the monuments. They are included in the Heritage Monitoring System (MHS), developed by the Santa María la Real Foundation. "With this new system, we are able to develop closer monitoring and effective actions," noted the Director of the Iberdrola Foundation, Rafael Landin.
The intervention in Hinojosa de Duero
The intervention developed in the Chapel of Cristo de la Misericordia in Hinojosa de Duero, is a clear example of the philosophy and objectives of the Plan. The work focused on the renovation of the lighting on the interior and exterior. The new installation is more in line with the monumentality of the building, it reduces the visual impact, it incorporates an adequate level of security and it represents considerable savings in energy consumption. "The energy consumption of the building is the equivalent of that of a microwave," said Rafael Landin. Meanwhile, the architect responsible for the work, Jesus Castillo, of the Santa María la Real Foundation, specified that the new facility represents an annual savings of nearly $ 2,000.
On the other hand, the woodwork was improved and special attention was paid to the reformation of the surroundings of the temple. It is important to remember that the chapel is located in the Natural Park of Arribes del Duero. Therefore, the scenic overlook was reinforced by improving the access road and removing weeds and brush. Also, hidden pockets of outdoor lighting were installed as well as other elements that allow the creation of different areas or spaces, including a gazebo area.
Monitoring
One objective of the Atlantic Romanesque Plan is to achieve an optimum level of protection and maintenance of the assets, using the latest technologies and innovative solutions. In this regard, the chapel of Cristo de la Misericordia has been included in the Heritage Monitoring System (MHS).
The project, developed by the Santa María la Real Foundation, allows real-time monitoring of various parameters that can affect the conservation of the temples. In Hinojosa, parameters such as humidity or temperature are being monitored. These parameters are difficult to monitor visually and can pose a risk to the conservation of the building and works of art. To prevent damage and improve the protection of the temple, the system has a series of sensors installed in the church, which regularly broadcast data wirelessly to a control center. The data is processed and interpreted so specialists can act before there is a risk, thus, facilitating "preventive conservation". To finish off the intervention, a smoke detector and motion sensors were installed, designed to ensure the safety of the building.
The General Director of Heritage of the Autonomous Government of Castile and León has advanced that "new heritage policies of the regional government will give paramount importance to research, development and innovation projects, such as those currently being developed in the Atlantic Romanesque Plan or similar."
