Restoration project presented in the Old Church in Yecla

The 500-year-old building in the heart of Yecla is to be refurbished and put to public use

At the end of September members of the public were welcomed inside the Iglesia Vieja of Yecla to admire the original interior of the church for the last time, and progress is now being made in the efforts to restore the building and make it available to the local community with a different use in the future.

This Gothic/Renaissance-style building, which is located between the Town hall and the Santuario del Castillo in the higher part of Yecla, is known as the Iglesia del Salvador or the Iglesia de la Asunción, but it has been referred to as the Iglesia Vieja since the completion of the Basílica de la Purísima (the Iglesia Nueva, or new church) in 1868.

In line with the principles of sustainable tourism it is envisaged that part of the building will become a visitors’ centre, providing a fitting welcome to those exploring this part of northern Murcia for the first time. But such diverse aspects as architecture, art and music are all being taken into account to ensure that the adaptations made are both tactful and respectful towards the building’s 500-year history.

In charge of the artistic side is local artist Lidó Rico, who will oversee the replacement of the 16th-century altarpiece which was burnt on 16^th March 1936, in the early days of the Spanish Civil War. At the same time, composer Diego Corraliza is working on music which will accompany visitors, evoking the strong musical traditions of Yecla.

Visiting information is available from the tourist office of Yecla (email turismo@yecla.es) or, for more local events, news and visiting information in English, go to the home page of Yecla Today.