12/01/2005
12/01/2005 As from 1st February, the guided visits around the restoration works in progress on Santa María Cathedral will incorporate an important novelty. On one day of the week, the visitors will be able to look around part of the triforium and the area under the roof of the portico, which will be fitted out as an exhibition room within the integral restoration project of the tower and the portico.
The opening of this new space, which is linked and, at the same time, conditioned by the progress of the works, is the response to the interest it arouses from the thousands of visitors, in particular people from Alava, who have already visited the Old Cathedral on other occasions. However, due to the works and for other technical reasons, access will only be allowed to this area one day of the week. The Santa María Cathedral Foundation has designated Wednesday as the day of the week when this point of the temple can be visited. Bookings can now be made by telephone on 945 255 135 or via the web www.catedralvitoria.com.
Access to these two areas is given through the choir, where the tower and portico project are shown along with the characteristics of the triforium. Via a spiral staircase, the visitors are first given access to the room over the vaults of the portico. A panel gives an idea of the future appearance of this area when it is finished. From here, they will move on to the triforium, to which only partial access will be given.
Internal gallery over the side naves
Since the guided visits around the restoration works were started, new
areas have gradually been incorporated, whilst maintaining the meticulous
balance between the works and the visits. The triforium is the gallery
that surrounds the interior of the Cathedral over the arches of the side
naves. This area, like other points of the temple, is monitored, and from
here, you can clearly observe the deformations in walls and pillars and
the reinforcement and consolidation work undertaken for their restoration.
Likewise, the new route includes the visit to the area under the roof,
situated over the vaults of the portico. Together with the tower, this
point forms part of the restoration project. In line with the approach
taken to restore the Cathedral as a religious building whilst at the same
time providing it with new tourist, cultural, scientific and pedagogical
uses, it is also planned to complete the guided visits by providing access
to interior of the tower and by giving a logical use to the area under
the roof of the portico. This room is designed for use as a large lobby
to take a short break before starting the climb up to the tower, but also
as an area for exhibitions, social gatherings, etc.