The technicians from the Santa Maria la Real Foundation from Aguilar de Campoo, have initiated the restoration work in the church San Martín de Castañeda from Zamora. It is one of the 25 churches included in the Intervention Plan Románico Atlántico.
After the previous studies were carried out, the technicians determined that the first phase of restoration in the church (belonging to the ancient monastery of Santa Maria) will focus on the cleaning, rehabilitation, and improvement of the roof. Then they will proceed to eliminate dampness and moisture. Problems with moisture provoked the deterioration in some of the interior parameters of the building.
Thus, the roof will be substituted in the apses, apsidioles, and sacristy, where it will be waterproofed. The windows in the superior part of the transept will also be replaced. Newer ones facilitate the circulation of air helping to avoid condensation. Also parts of the roof above the lateral aisles that are in a poor state of conservation will be renovated.
Once the intervention on the roof is finalized, they will proceed to clean the parameters and roof in the sacristy and the north wall, eliminating existing plants and renovating the floor of the sacristy.
To complement the intervention, a series of sensors will be installed in the interior to monitor the structural conditions of the church. The sensors will register necessary data to establish a diagnostic analysis which will lead to the execution of the second phase.
Photograph: Presentation of the project to the residents of the village.
