On relocating a big stone church.

[wisepilgrim]

Many of the veteran pilgrims are aware of the story surrounding the church of San Juan (or San Nicolás, depending on who you ask): It was moved in the early 60's to save it from the rising waters of the soon-to-be embalse that we see today. Looking closely you can see that the stones are numbered... yada yada yada. It all sounds very impressive and complicated.

BUT I just learned another side of this task that is even more impressive, shared in a television interview by one of the stonemasons that were involved. According to him, the bulk of the work was carried out by only 2 men with the help of a single crane, mostly. He did say that on a few occasions, 2 more men helped out.

Now I don't know about you but that seems a great deal more impressive, as in my imagination I conjured up a workforce comparable to a small medieval army.

When they were done they moved a few more structures.

 

[Bradypus]

Happens more often than people realise. There is a big outdoor museum just outside Cardiff with buildings relocated from all over Wales. Including a 12th century church which was originally built about 6 miles from my home and now is more than 50 miles away. Without plate tectonics being involved!

St Teilo’s Church

museum.wales

 

[Steven Dwyer]

Very impressive. My favorite version of a church being relocated is the Ancient Spanish Monastery in North Miami. The church complete with a cloister was bought by William Randolph Hearst an disassembled, the blocks numbered, and packing into crates with straw for cushioning. On arrival at the docks in New York customs agents removed the blocks from the crates to burn the straw to prevent the spread of hoof and mouth disease. Repacking the blocks was haphazard so the numbering system was lost. The crates remained in New York and due to Hearst’s financial problems were auctioned off. The buyer go one heck of a giant jigsaw puzzle to play with. If you are in the area it’s worth a visit to America’s oldest European constructed building.

The Ancient Spanish Monastery · 4.6★(1191) · Tourist attraction

16711 W Dixie Hwy, North Miami Beach, FL 33160

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[Anniesantiago]

Are you talking about the church of San Xoán in Portomarin?
Another interesting thing is to see the photos on the wall of Albergue Ultreia - the woman who owns it was a girl when this happened.

 

[lalaone]

Incredibly cool! Not quite the same, but similar in spirit - this reminds me of the Basilica of St. Josaphat in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US. Its ingenious congregation of Polish immigrants sourced raw materials from the Chicago Post Office, which was demolished around 1900. They got a bargain price. Everything was shipped north on 500 railbeds. The massive stones were used to build a church modeled after St. Peter’s, with the congregation itself providing much of the manual labor. Even today you can see doorknobs stamped with the old Post Office logo.

History of the Basilica

thebasilica.org

 

[Vacajoe]

The church complete with a cloister was bought by William Randolph Hearst an disassembled

We have a similar Cistercian “meeting house” that was just rebuilt in Vina, CA! Much smaller, though, but the same provenance as that since Hearst bought it for reassembly here but never did. The State received it in leui of taxes and then it was given to a band of monks who just finished rebuilding it to be used as their new chapel. It’s on land that was once farmed by Leland Stanford as the largest winery in the world! Incredible mix of histories all in one spot.

If you get the chance to visit, the New Clairvaux monastery and winery is a wonderful experience.

 

[David Tallan]

While we are giving similar examples, there is always the Temple of Debod in Madrid, which was moved from Egypt to Madrid and reconstructed there, a thank you gift from Egypt for Spain's help in moving structures to save them from another embalse, that created by the Aswan Dam.

 

[wisepilgrim]

I should add that I have been looking at a pile of large-ish cut stones in my front yard for 3 years, willing them to move on their own to no avail.

 

[Keith H]

While we are giving similar examples, there is always the Temple of Debod in Madrid, which was moved from Egypt to Madrid and reconstructed there, a thank you gift from Egypt for Spain's help in moving structures to save them from another embalse, that created by the Aswan Dam.

Love that one. Totally crazy thing to see in a relatively modern city

 

[Keith H]

There are several churches in Barcelona that had been relocated when various changes were made to the city. Several are in the Eixample area like this one.

 

[Bradypus]

Just come across an odd snippet of news. The mayor of Ledigos wants to relocate their medieval ermita - moving it closer to the Camino to make it a landmark on the route!

Estas son las peticiones de Ledigos, Amusco, Fuentes de Nava y Cillamayor para la Junta de Castilla y León - Palencia en la Red

El delegado de la Junta ha recibido a los representantes de los municipios de Ledigos, Amusco, Fuentes de Nava y la Junta Vecinal de Cillamayor El

www.palenciaenlared.es

 

[VNwalking]

Just two guys?
This is what floored me:

When they were done they moved a few more structures.

You'd think one church would be enough.

The sad fashion to buy old Spanish churches and import them to the US isn't nearly so impressive and fortunately didn't last long. I think of The Cloister in NYC. They're cared for at least, and not crumbling into oblivion. So There's that.

I should add that I have been looking at a pile of large-ish cut stones in my front yard for 3 years, willing them to move on their own to no avail.

Get cracking, @wisepilgrim . Those old guys have you beat.