Spain. On July 14, a fire reached Íscar Castle, in the province of Valladolid, Castile and León, in northwest Spain. Built between the 13th and 16th centuries, the fortress constitutes one of the main elements of the town’s heritage. Although the Homage Tower was spared, the visitors’ reception pavilion was completely destroyed and part of the enclosure damaged. The fire covered 178 hectares of pine forest around the monument. Architects, archaeologists and heritage specialists have since been tasked with assessing the extent of the damage. A few days after the disaster, Mayor José Andrés Sanz provisionally estimated the cost of the restoration between 2.5 and 3 million euros. Expertise is still continuing and the regional government has initiated work to stabilize the land in order to limit erosion and runoff after the disappearance of the vegetation.
In Galicia, the fire broke out on July 16 in Boborás, in the province of Ourense, affected the protohistoric fortified site of Xurenzás. Dating from the Iron Age, this ancient habitat established on a height retains several lines of ramparts surrounding a central enclosure. Listed in the municipal heritage catalog, the site was almost entirely covered by flames. In total, the fire burned 19 hectares. Investigators are examining in particular the hypothesis of a fire starting during clearing work carried out with a tractor.
Faced with this type of threat, Spain has adopted a National Risk and Emergency Management Plan dedicated to cultural heritage. It provides in particular for the coordination of heritage specialists with the emergency services and the Military Emergency Unit (UME). This has specific capacities for the protection of cultural property: stabilization of buildings, protection of altarpieces, evacuation of movable property or even selective clearance. Safeguard sheets also provide for prioritizing assets according to whether they must be protected on site or evacuated as a priority.
In San Juan de la Peña, in the Aragonese Pyrenees, these devices were mobilized to carry out the exceptional evacuation of the Royal Pantheon. Backed by a cliff and closely linked to the origins of the Kingdom of Aragon, the Monasterio Viejo (see illustration) houses the remains of the first three rulers – Ramiro I, Sancho Ramírez and Peter I – as well as those of several members of their lineage.
Works evacuated urgently
Declared on August 10 in Las Peñas de Riglos, the fire moved closer to the monastic complex three days later, directly threatening the goods preserved in the ancient monastery. During a first access, the soldiers were able to protect the ceremonial uniform of the Count of Aranda, in which he had been buried and which was exhibited on site, as well as several archaeological pieces. The advancing flames then forced the team to withdraw.
A second intervention, carried out by Culture and Heritage technicians from the Government of Aragon, accompanied by members of the UME and the Civil Guard, made it possible to evacuate the royal remains, fragments of mural paintings already placed on supports and other cultural property. The whole was transferred to the Museum of Huesca. The two monasteries escaped the flames.
The evacuated goods have not yet returned to San Juan de la Peña. Asked by The Arts Journal, Ana Rodrigo, head of the press service of the Department of Presidency, Justice, Culture and Sports of the Government of Aragon, confirms that they are still kept in the reserves of the Museum of Huesca, “in perfect condition”. Their return to the monastery will take place “when possible”.
