Santiago cathedral's La Gloria portico restored

A PAINSTAKING 50,000 hours of restoration work on the La Gloria portico at Santiago de Compostela cathedral has been unveiled and visitors will finally get to see the intricate archway without its scaffolding for the first time since 2009.

The diocese of Santiago de Compostela has spent €6.2 million over this time on funding the works on this rare artistic gem to return it to its former glory.

It will be officially reopened on July 2, by the Reina Sofía art museum in Madrid, but it is not likely the general public will be able to see it until the end of next month.

The intricate carvings, considered one of the most iconic works by the Mediaeval architect known as the master Mateo, were restored and and redecorated in oils between the 16^th and 17^th centuries, and reviving its original Romanesque splendour has brought, according to restoration coordinator Ana Laborde Marqueze, 'fresh excitement on the hour' for the team.

The original carvings are so intricate that 'no two figures have the same hair, folds in their tunics or leg positions', says Sra Laborde Marqueze, from the Spanish Cultural Heritage Institute, part of the ministry of culture, media and sports.

She said the group started out with 'a dark and grey portico' suffering from 'damp and neglect' with 'all its columns saturated with water'.

“What was left of the colours flaked off daily; we couldn't wait, we had to get on with it,” she said.

“But the beauty and quality of the original finish and the carvings was so great that we've simply preserved and repaired what was there, without adding anything at all.”

 

Photographs 1-3 by Santiago Turismo, Pinterest and YouTube