09/07/2009
Vitoria-Gasteiz, 9th
July 2009.- The tower of the Santa María Cathedral may be
visited again starting from tomorrow. After remaining closed for almost
four months due to works, visitors will be able to climb this
watchtower and enjoy the impressive views of the city and even the
Llanada. In addition, the height reached will be greater than before as
visitors can climb up to the level of the clock.
One year ago the `Open for works` programme added
a new visit to the guided tours of the Santa María Cathedral. At the
time, and thanks to the service lift installed for the construction
materials, a successful initiative was implemented which allowed
hundreds of visitors to enjoy the views of the highest part of the city.
Closed since the start of the year as a consequence of the floor
reinforcement, forging and masonry cleaning works, among other tasks,
starting from tomorrow Friday this initiative will be launched again
and will be available on Friday afternoons, weekends and holidays, so
that it does not interfere with the work being carried out.
The service lift is appropriately
equipped and has all the preventive measures required to guarantee
safety for visitors, who will be accompanied at all times by guides and
staff from the Foundation. The size of each group will be ten to twelve
people. There will be visits on Friday afternoons at 16.45, 17.45 and
19.00. On weekends and holidays, apart from these evening visits, there
will also be the chance to ascend to the tower at 10.45, 12.15 and
13.15. Each visit lasts for approximately 40 minutes and the price is 5
euros per person. Due to safety reasons children under 12 years of age
are not permitted, and closed footwear is obligatory.
Similarly to before, the lift will climb to the first group of bells, a
space located at a height of 30 metres where visitors can see that the
whole floor has been rebuilt, including the wood framing, very
deteriorated after the fire suffered in the 19th century; in addition,
the stonework has been cleaned, and the northeast and northwest arches
have been opened to allow for a view in all directions.
However, the visit also
includes a climb up an interior staircase, also restored, to the second
group of bells or the clock. Located at a height of 45 metres, from
there visitors can see how the floor has been refurbished and how five
of the closed arches have been reopened, in addition to the three that
were already open. This is the space where in the future the chiming
and clock mechanisms will be installed. Furthermore, work is ongoing
and featuring among future plans is the installation of an interior
lift to allow access for disabled people.