The current document includes 150 protectable elements. A participatory process has now begun to receive contributions.
«Protecting what identifies us as a city, the valuable, to ensure a past that allows us to project a future» is the main goal highlighted by the mayor of Logroño, Conrado Escobar, who will have the future Catalog of Protected Assets of the city, which will be part of the Municipal General Plan, and is expected to include up to 600 unique elements of Logroño.
After receiving a draft -prepared by Ezquiaga Arquitectura. Society and Territory S.L., the company awarded the revision of the Municipal General Plan- which includes historical ensembles; real estate, movable property; elements from the three municipal cemeteries; archaeological and paleontological areas; and natural or landscape heritage… meetings will begin next week with the spokespersons of the City Council and working groups of experts to «make sure we don’t forget anything,» the mayor stated.
Following the internal participation, which will last about a month, the work of the technical units will continue «to see if the catalog can be legally approved separately from the Municipal Plan or not.»
All allegations, proposals, or suggestions resulting from this process will be incorporated for technical study by both the General Directorate of Architecture of the City Council and, if necessary, by the Service of Conservation and Promotion of the Historical Artistic Heritage of the Government of La Rioja.
The mayor, Conrado Escobar, along with the councilors of the Urbanism area Íñigo López-Araquistáin and Javier Martínez Mancho, has reported on this Catalog, which, as he recalls, is within the document of the Municipal General Plan.
«IT WILL DEFINE THE URBAN MODEL OF LOGROÑO»
«Today, within an ambitious city context, we present a document that will define the urban model of Logroño,» said the mayor. This presents an administrative roadmap that the City Council will follow to incorporate the singularities of the heritage, architecture, and emotional elements of the city as well as their degree of protection.
The mayor of Logroño explained that the document they are starting from is the General Plan of 1985, which includes «150 protected elements, these elements are indisputably protected (BIC) or monumental elements such as churches, palaces, the Way of St. James…».
Now, with this first draft, the aim is to increase from 150 elements to 600.» All within different classifications. Thus, he explains, «there are clearly heritage elements such as historical ensembles, urban landscapes…) and real estate and properties that have objectively already been included in that catalog «such as churches, the Museum of La Rioja, the historical archives, the Revellín wall…)».
From there, the drafting team also includes another series of unique urban elements «that deserve protection or, at least, a city reflection, such as the monument to General Espartero or the charter of Logroño, the conch of music or the Murrieta fountain as well as sculptural groups that are present in the city and must be protected like the bust of the poet López de Zárate, the Ebro gate, the Lady of the Fountain….».
The mayor also highlights certain elements «that have an emotional value» such as, for example, «the cemeteries» or important archaeological and paleontological areas like «the Mantible Bridge, the Roman sites of Varea, Mount Cantabria…».
«Also aware of the sensitivity and new demands regarding heritage, we open the focus to natural and landscape heritage -with historical parks such as the Espolón, the Glorieta del Doctor Zubía, the Seminary garden, the Gallarza park- and other emotional places like the Lovers’ park or the San Miguel park… to which are added «the trees, groves and ultimately the landscape of Logroño».
PROTECTING THE «ENSEMBLE»
In this Catalog, the aim is also to «protect» not only a building but «its entire ensemble.» In this sense, the mayor explains, for example, «the streets Muro de Cervantes or Muro del Carmen offer a very Logroño-like ensemble landscape… or also the Casas Baratas, as an ensemble, within their uniqueness, are part of our urban personality.»
«This is what has been included in this working document and, from now on, we propose to open a calm debate with the spokespersons and the working group of the General Plan to, within a period of one month to a month and a half, ensure that nothing is missing.»
The Social Council of the City, chaired by Ángel Carrero, will also be called upon «so that within the same period it has a group of experts, such as Domingo García Pozuelo, the chroniclers of Logroño, and the collaboration of representatives of the Chamber of Commerce who can collaborate with the Catalog.»
«All with the aim of continuing to introduce elements for protection,» highlighted the mayor. They will refer to the most centenary or veteran businesses in the city…» they are unique pieces that must continue with protection, albeit without hindering their regular operation.»
CATALOG OF PROTECTED ASSETS
The catalog, a document that is part of the PGM, includes the necessary determinations for the protection of Logroño’s heritage. It is the document that includes all the assets to be conserved in the municipality, as well as the protection measures for buildings, spaces, or historical, cultural, and environmental elements.
The first cataloging work of buildings was carried out in the Special Plan of the Historical Center of 1975 and was expanded in the General Plan of 1985 to include other buildings outside the old town, with a review in 1997 that created a database and files for each building.
