"The Portico of Glory is left on the road"

[sillydoll]

The Portico of Glory is left on the road - so says el Pais

Pilgrims arriving in Santiago de Compostela encounter a wall of scaffolding where the should meet one of the most emblematic scupltures in the Cathedral, the Portico de la Gloria. The Galician regional government hoped that Maestro Mateo sculptures would be exposed by the Holy Year. But the deadlines are long forgotten. In fact, in the Holy Year, the restoration work was blocked.
Very few knew of the recent setbacks affecting the Portico until last Thursday when the president of the Xunta, Alberto Núñez Feijoo, announced after the weekly meeting of his Government that they had approved an agreement to "unlock the restoration."
The alleged problems were "technical differences" between the direction of the work, led by the Ministry of Culture Restorative Surgeon Concha, and specialists from the Directorate General of Heritage of the Ministry of Culture of the Xunta. What disparities are is not clarified by either party.

The agreement will be signed and "will at last enable the release of work," reports Isabel Lafont.

Read more here:
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/cultura/ ... icul_1/Tes

 

[ramble-on]

Sil,
Does this mean the Portico is and will be totally blocked from view for the Holy Year? I thought I had read somewhere (on this forum?) that it is still accessible but could be viewed only with a guide and in small groups. If that is so, how can they cope with the huge numbers of pilgrims (and tourists) wanting to see this fantastic piece of work this year? If it's totally blocked, it will be a major disappointment for this pilgrim to be unable to see the Portico.
Dick

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You can take a video tour before you go by clicking on "El Portal de la Gloria" (right side of upper menu) here:

http://www.archicompostela.org/web/catedral/movie.html

You won't see details as closely visiting it unless you get the scaffold tour. The video will make the distant view you get in person more meaningful.

 

[andy.d]

In October, the tour of the Portico of Gloria was excellent. After a very good introductory film, you go up on the scaffolding to look at the Portico from a meter or two away. You are up at the level of Christ and the musicians with close views you would not get without the scaffolding.

I hope the tours are still going - they were free, but you had to book,

Andy

 

[ramble-on]

Wow, that sounds like it more than compensates for the scaffolding all over the place. Where does one book?

 

[andy.d]

Where does one book?

Assuming it is the same as last October, you go through the door into the Cathedral at street level just to the left of the steps to main entrance on Obrodoiro Square.

Andy

 

[Ribeirasacra]

This article seems to suggest that restoration will take years. But with a hope it will be finished for next years 800th anniversary of the Cathedral.
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/ocioycultu ... 216976.htm
When the project was first started it was going to be ready early this year...Now it seems we have this "disagreement" between the Xunta and the experts. All bit of a mess if you ask me. :roll:

 

[Ribeirasacra]

It seems that the Pope can get things changed, well at least for his visit. then it is back to normal.
To save posting twice read my post of the 07 Mar.
discuss-news-from-santiago/topic7975.html

 

[sillydoll]

http://www.abc.es/20100407/cultura-cult ... 00407.html

Cultura y Xunta se unen para poner fin a los retrasos en las obras de la Catedral

The Spanish press reports that the vairous parties have reached agreement on how to proceed with the work on the Portico del Gloria. The Galician authorities, the Spanish Ministry of Culture, the Archdiocese, the Deans of the Cathedral, have all agreed to allow a team of architectural and sculptural experts perform necessary tests on the structure to study the Portico's present state of preservation, analyze its problems, and determine what must be done to preserve it for another millenium. The work will not be completed in time for the Pope's visit in November.