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ARCHIVED - Restoration of façades completed at the church of Santa María de Gracia in Cartagena
The project also included the construction of a bell-tower which was never completed on the original 18th century building
The long-lasting project to restore the façade and bell-tower of the church of Santa María de Gracia in Cartagena has finally been completed and the finished article was officially inaugurated on Saturday 18th January with Holy Mass, the Blessing of the Façades and the Four Saints of Cartagena, the tolling of the bells and the handing over of a time capsule.
Presiding over Mass at a ceremony attended by a host of local dignitaries was José Manuel Lorca, the Bishop of Cartagena and Francisco Gil, the Archbishop Emeritus of Burgos.
The entire renovation project at Santa María de Gracias was originally budgeted to cost a million euros, with work being completed in time for last year’s Semana Santa celebrations, but both the budget and the deadline were extended as the restoration works project on the main façade was adjusted. The bells underwent eight months of repair work, but the main extension involved the façade.
Originally the idea was simply to re-cover the façade but it was then decided that the original brickwork finish was to be re-created, as so many of the bricks covering the surface had deteriorated and required replacement. The bricks used were of the traditional “Roman” style, and in order to do the job properly it was necessary to fully replace 5,000 and repair another 10,000. Such was the scale of the task that the services of 20 specialist brick restorers were contracted!
The end result has taken time to achieve but is spectacular, not being limited to the main façade but also including the side of the building in Calle San Miguel.
For more local news, events and other information go to the Cartagena section of Murcia Today.
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