Noticias
Project for the restoration of San Martin de Tours former convent mural painting, in Huaquechula, Puebla.
September 19, 2018The Department of Culture and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH, for its acronym in Spanish), in coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Mexico through a contribution of $200,000 dollars, will carry out the project of restoration of the mural painting of the former convent of San Martin de Tours, in Huaquechula, Puebla, damaged by the earthquake of September 19, 2017.
In a press conference, Diego Prieto, director of INAH informed that the restoration complete plan focuses on recovering the structural stability of the architectural complex and the mural painting full restoration.
The work will be carried out by the National Coordination of Conservation of Cultural Heritage (CNCPC) and the Center INAH Puebla following the pictorial guidelines established by UNESCO in the event of earthquakes or natural disasters, as well as the restoration guidelines defined by the INAH since 2014.
The civil servant explained that the work will be carried out in five stages: the first will be carried out by INAH through the insurance of the National Fund for Natural Disasters (Fonden, for its acronym in Spanish), which already developed some emergency actions with surfaces of flattening and mural painting.
The second, also during 2018, will have the financial support of the U.S. Embassy and considers the preparation of an architectural survey and a photographic study to proceed with the restoration of the damaged mural painting.
In 2019, the third stage will be carried out in which the priority actions will focus on the consolidation of the mural painting and all that loose material to stabilize the finishes.
During the fourth stage, which runs until 2020, all those elements will be installed to control any type of plague and favor the conservation of the historic building.
"The last phase considers the structural work on the roof of the convent, considered a jewel of Franciscan architecture and historical monument protected by the Federal Law of Archaeological, Artistic and Historical Monuments and Zones that had been kept open and in use since its creation and that in the coming months will recover its relevance and the possibility of being visited by everyone else".
Minister Counselor, John Creamer, Chargé d'Affaires at the United States Embassy in Mexico, noted that the economic contribution was made through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, which empowers the world’s heritage.
"Since 2002, we have cooperated with Mexico in the conservation of its cultural heritage. With this fund, improvements were made to archaeological centers such as Monte Albán, Palenque, Chiapas and Monte Albán Oaxaca, among other projects being developed in the states of Mexico, Querétaro and Hidalgo.
Concerning the former convent of San Martín de Tours, in Huaquechula, Puebla, which was finished in 1569, its value lies in preserving the original design of its architectural finishes, as well as paintings, sculptures and altarpieces, whose antiquity dates from the sixteenth to twentieth centuries, in addition to protecting the first works of Baroque painter Cristobal de Villalpando.
The community of Huaquechula keeps several religious festivities such as the celebration of the Holy Cross on May 3 and the Day of the Dead on November 1 and 2, which make the building of great value for the country's cultural heritage.
Also present in the announcement were Jimena Lara, director of International Affairs of the Department of Culture, Liliana Giorguli Chavez, National Coordinator of Cultural Heritage Conservation of INAH, Angelica Gonzalez, director of management and planning of INAH and restorer Pablo Vidal Tapia.
Mexico
