The Provincial Historical Heritage Commission of Almeria has met to deal with numerous matters of interest to the province of Almeria, including procedures for works and other interventions on assets listed in the General Catalogue of Andalusian Historical Heritage as Assets of Cultural Interest.
The Delegate for Tourism, Culture and Sport, José Ángel Vélez, chaired this meeting in which a favourable report was given on the basic and execution project for the conservation and material restoration of certain areas of the Castle of Vélez Blanco. These are “works that guarantee the safeguarding and conservation of the “original” architecture located in the defensive zone around the Torre del Homenaje and its surroundings, the gunfire room, albarrana and yedra towers; and the palatial zone around the noble rooms of the triumph and mythology and their surroundings, oratory rooms, wardrobe, viewing cubes, and the mezzanine of the boudoir and the ladies”, Vélez detailed.
Meanwhile, the refurbishment works are to adapt the facilities for use and operation, allowing public visits and the enhancement of most of the Castle’s rooms. José Ángel Vélez explained that “the first phase of the works to be carried out in the Castle will involve the recovery of the Torre del Homenaje and the improvement of accessibility for visitors”. In the second phase, which will involve the collaboration of the province’s marble companies, work will be carried out on the reconstruction of the courtyard of honour, which was sold in 1904 and is currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In a third phase, the ensemble will be museumised.
The delegate also reported on the basic and execution project for the restoration of the South Tower of the Alcazaba of Almería. This is a continuation of the restoration project of the Muro de la Vela already executed and the restoration project of the South Wall, so that the pathologies of the Tower are eliminated following the same criteria that have been used in both projects, achieving in turn a homogeneous image of the whole, also ensuring a safer and more attractive visit.
Specifically, “the point to be treated is located at the entrance to the second enclosure of the Alcazaba, next to the Muro de la Vela, with the aim of the project being to treat the walls of the Tower, both inside and outside”, explained the delegate. The Tower is currently covered by a coloured concrete lining laid in the 20th century, which hides the masonry on the ground floor and brickwork on the upper floor. The Tower is adjacent to the Vela Wall, which had the same constructive execution, a concrete lining concealing the masonry. In the year 2022, restoration work was carried out on this wall, which corroborates that the work on both elements was carried out at the same time and provided the same construction.
