For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
Ues - at times I am inclined to agree.Sometimes I think the world is going bonkers
In the Duomo in Siena, Italy - they have stopped pilgrims / people walking on the floors. They have roped off some of the beautiful marbly frescoes so that one can see them, and the the rest of the floor is covered with, from memory, plywood. No fear of the frescoes beneath wearing out!There is also evidence that damage is caused by PILGRIMS walking over the floors, which wear them out.
A very nice revenue stream , charging to leave your bag, then long queue to retrieve it.but I don't think backpacks should be allowed in cathedral . Lot of pilgrims don't walk on floor, they walk on the seats, better for photographs.
Well, unless there is a forum member who is also part of the cathedral administration, and in a position to share their insights about why the decision has been made, any answer will be mere speculation. With that will come the prospect of generating more heat than light.i would like to play the devil's advocate. is the banning of the backpacks/walking poles has anything to do with accommodating the increasing numbers of tourist visiting the cathedral?
The Cathedral mimics the Alhambra and will deny access to people with backpacks and walking sticks as these hinder the flow of people and can cause damage in the cathedral.
Neither the Cordoba mosque or cathedral of Burgos, permit entry of bulky items. The Basilica of Santiago has decided to follow in their footstep . Although its implementation has been delayed it is one of the measures contained in the Safety and Conservation Plan of the temple that has been developing for months.
However, tjhey will wait for the season to end and thus have scope to experiment, to detect possible difficulties and correct them if necessary. Universal pilgrimage shrine, the new rules will force set up four hits: Obradoiro Acibechería, Praterías and Real Porch (actual entrance to the store). The Holy Door is only used in Holy Years. In the opinion of experts, the presence of bulky items interfere with the movements of people inside the Cathedral. This is something considered to be a great danger in case of alarm or evacuation, especially in the summer months when the number of visitors soars. "There is evidence that damage is caused as columns are used to support a backpack which can cause wear that can occur gradually in stone as moisture can contain the objects themselves.
LUGGAGE
A few meters from the cathedral, in the Pilgrim Office, visitors are offered luggage storage also outsourced months ago by the Cathedral Foundation. To leave the pack a day costs two euros. The company offers laundry, baby buggy hire, quads or wheelchair for people with difficulty walking around the city. Your package is completed by sending the packages so the rest of Spain and abroad.
http://www.elcorreogallego.es/santi...baston/idEdicion-2013-11-19/idNoticia-837939/
To be fair, it was the Correa Gallego article that did not make this clear, not Sillydoll. That piece read very much like a press release from the Cathedral rather than an independently researched article. If it was independently written, it presented only one side of the issue, and did nothing to seek alternative or dissenting views of the changes.hello sillydoll. ... on the subject of storage, i beg to correct you that you will also have to pay for the walking poles as separate units. i am making it clear that there is extra cost to store the walking poles, not argueing about the price of storage.
first, what is the real reason for the banning of backpacks and walking poles? security concerns has been mentioned. and now environmental and structural damages to the cathedral has been mentioned. please forgive my ignorance. for the security concerns: it has been 10 years since 9/11, why implement the measures now? what next, airport style scan and body search for all peregrenos, tourists, churchgoers who enter the cathedral? are we entering a big brother era with surveillance measures? remember, this is a holy place.
.
Maybe it's me but I do not see the big deal. Check in your pack and poles, pay the 2 euros (that's less than a price of a cappuccino where I live) and enjoy the service with your fellow pilgrims. Everyone will be more comfortable without. I certainly did not feel like I was treated as a second class pilgrim. Just because we walked/ran/cycled, etc. does not give us special priviledges over others.
I must admit on my 2 casinos (2009, 2012) I never noticed any discrimination between those in attendance.
Having visited with & without backpack, there never seems to be a problem.
But maybe things have changed in the last year.
I think it also a little difficult to declare who is & who isn't a pilgrim. Like others, I've seen the groups from the ships, but most of them seemed quite excited about their own pilgrimage.
As to correctly determining the motivation, as long as it's in the interest of all pilgrims, I think it's fine, even if I'd prefer it another way.
Buen Camino
Colin
If you think security is only related to terrorism then remember Spain has had terrorist attacks after 9/11.
Almost all tourist sites have security issues. People stealing things. I don't mean the obvious things but in some places you'll see people showing up with hammers to break off pieces of statues.
You need to avoid stampedes if something happens. A crowd of people with backpacks it going to be more of a problem.
You have the simple room issue. If you can fit 1000 people in a place without a pack that doesn't mean 1000 people with packs fit.
Some one else mentioned closing the place. It wouldn't be the first historic place closed to visitors because of the damaged caused by visitors.
One of the problems with reports like this is the English language reports can be badly translated. It would be better if somebody could find a native language report.
But this whole thread is based on the English language reports. If you could post a link to a local report that would be great. Things do get lost in translation.
This makes it sound like you are suggesting that the cathedral authorities are somehow being paid off. Is that really what you think? If not, why do you keep raising questions here that really can only be answered by the cathedral authorities and not by the vast majority of forum members?The question i am posing is whether the cathedral authority has a new agenda in favour of the well-heeled tourists as compare to the poor peregrinos. Money does talk.
You think that a backpack is as essential as a cane or crutches or a baby's pram? Or that a large purse takes up as much room as a backpack or has the potential to smack against something or break something off? I have carried a purse for 35 years and not once have I smacked into someone or something else with one - but I accidentally hit someone or something else almost daily with my pack.Ah gee lets just ban parents with prams and pushers, oldies who have to use a walking stick and anyone on crutches and of course anyone who dares to have a large handbag. Tis almost the season to be jolly once again.
beware: the ComunicaCarmen website linked above apparently has a Trojan virus problem. Do not open that link if you don´t have up-to-date virus blocker software!
http://www.libertaddigital.com/espa...catedral-de-la-almudena-de-madrid-1276481625/
There was absolutely nothing wrong with the link previously posted.
Gone is the dark entrance and stairs. Photographs of the new Pilgrims' Office here:
http://www.pastoralsantiago.org/2013/10/ayer-se-inauguraron-y-bendijeron-unas.html
The entrance is the same at Number 3 Rua do Vilar. In season Alsa, the national Bus Company has an office in the complex as does Renfe for train tickets. There are also drinks machines and toilets.
At number 15 Rua do Vilar there is a left luggage office which also offers a bicycle return service, laundry, board pass printing and has free computers and Wifi.
there goes the mini kilt.... one less item to packPilgrims to Rome are met by even stricter controls when they get to St Peter's. The queues you join in the square are to pass through the airport style scanners and security. You have to leave your backpack, parcels, packets, sticks etc. before you pass through the ticket office. The Dress Code is strictly enforced at St. Peter's Basilica. No shorts, bare shoulders or miniskirts. This applies to both men and women. Even if you get through security, you will be turned away by the attendants at the door if you are not dressed appropriately.
And, there is no friendly group of Amigos to meet and greet you!
there goes the mini kilt.... one less item to pack
There are more likely to be beggars at the door - so be very careful who you leave your backpack with!!!Ohh well really it is fair enough… they are trying to preserve…. and yes those "drunken Pilgrims" … cant wait to be one o them… you have to admit YOU guys do make a lot of damage ( I am not one YET so I do not include myself .. next year ) ….Seriously though it is fair enough…. creates a job for someone….. can hire a backpack/ walking pole holder at the door…. Annie
@Diogo92 - wrt to attacks on religious places, I think you will find this is more widespread than you might realise. Two countries where I know this has happened recently are Egypt and Indonesia. Churches might not be a target of choice, but nonetheless it is not unknown for them to be attacked.
It seems to me that the cathedral authorities are right to be cautious, and reduce the risk in sensible ways.
Regards,
You are right, these countries generally have a far more tolerant attitude to Christians than it would appear the Spanish authorities do to Muslims practising their religion, certainly if this recent article from Gatestone is correct. It would appear that this isn't a recent phenomena either, as this earlier report from The Guardian suggests.Please don´t compare the situation in Egypt and Indonesia ( both muslim majority ) to Spain ( catholic majority).
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?