The delegate of Tourism, Culture and Sport, José Ángel Vélez, has visited the municipality of Vélez Blanco, where he met with the first deputy mayor, Ana López, and has informed her that the Heritage Commission has reported favourably on the basic project and execution of the conservation and material restoration works of certain areas of the Castle of Vélez Blanco.
Vélez has detailed that «it is about «works that guarantee the safeguard and conservation of the «original» architecture located in the defensive zone around the Torre del Homenaje and its surroundings, the shooting room, albarrana and yedra towers; and the palatial zone around the noble rooms of the triumph and mythology and its surroundings, oratory rooms, wardrobe, viewing cubes, and the mezzanine of the boudoir and the ladies». The delegate of Culture has assured that «after having passed this procedure, the tender for the works is closer, which will allow to make a reality an action that will undoubtedly mark a before and after in this region of the Vélez».
The first deputy mayor of Vélez Blanco, Ana López, «has expressed the satisfaction of the Consistory for the progress of this project and has assured that the Castle is the emblem of this region, so it is our duty to put it in value for tourists and locals».
The rehabilitation works consist of the adaptation of facilities for use and operation, which will allow 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 Keep and the improvement of accessibility for visitors».
In the second part of the work, which will involve the collaboration of the marble entrepreneurs of the province, 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. The third phase will include restoration and conservation work on the Castle’s enclosure, environmental and landscape improvements to the exterior, monumental lighting and museumisation.