Romanesque Zamora

The Department of Culture and Tourism of the Junta de Castilla y León, in collaboration with the City Council, the Diocese of Zamora, and the Spanish-Portuguese foundation Rei Afonso Henriques, launched the Restoration, Conservation, Promotion, and Dissemination Plan for Zamora's Romanesque heritage in 2008. The aim was to intervene in 22 Romanesque churches and chapels in the city, along with their surroundings and movable assets.

The Cultural Project "Zamora Románica" is part of the PAHIS Plan 2004-2012 for the Historical Heritage of Castilla y León. It is funded by the Department of Culture and Tourism through the allocation of a multi-year grant of five million six hundred seventy-four thousand euros to the Rei Afonso Henriques Foundation, as well as through the allocation of the City of Zamora's own resources for interventions in the surrounding areas.

The technical intervention projects are developed by the Foundation, located in its facilities in the former San Francisco convent in Zamora. This is accomplished through the work of a multidisciplinary team in coordination with the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and the Territorial Service of Culture in Zamora. They oversee the tendering and execution of works in the temples, as well as the restoration of movable assets and the direction of intervention projects.

The preservation of built heritage is carried out according to a restoration project that includes a long-term conservation strategy. This is based on a deep understanding of the building, its historical evolution, and its location. The study involves various disciplines, including archival research, architectural archaeology, diagnosis of pathologies, and structural analysis. Restoration is an intervention directed at a heritage asset, with the aim of preserving its authenticity and making it part of the community. Therefore, the Cultural Project includes a plan for the dissemination and enhancement of Zamora's Romanesque heritage. This involves open site visits for the public, educational activities related to Romanesque art, presentations at courses, seminars, and public forums, promoting respect for heritage.

The objectives of the Cultural Project "Zamora Románica" are to conserve and restore Zamora's Romanesque heritage, enhance it by involving experts from various disciplines, and raise awareness among citizens, especially the younger generation, about the importance of caring for and preserving this heritage. This is achieved by bringing them closer to its historical, artistic, and socio-cultural values.