The Zaragoza Provincial Council invests 304,000 euros in the restoration of the Santiago chapel of the Tarazona cathedral
The Zaragoza Provincial Council is executing comprehensive restoration works on the Santiago chapel in the cathedral of Tarazona, with an investment of 304,000 euros. The work began in spring and is expected to be completed by early 2026. Subsequently, the restoration of the altar of Santiago Apostle will be carried out with an additional budget of 85,000 euros.
The intervention focuses on the recovery of the Gothic decorative elements of this chapel, which features a Hispano-Flemish Gothic style, built in the last decade of the 15th century. The work includes special actions on the mural paintings, plasterwork, tiles, and the supporting keys that adorn the vault. The company Babelia, Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage S.L., is carrying out the work with a team of five restorers.
The chapel exhibits cracks and fissures in the stone blocks, dampness, and damage to the mural decoration. Workers have begun to remove a layer of gray paint that covered the plasterwork, resulting from widespread repainting carried out in the 19th century. Additionally, an archaeological intervention will be conducted at an average depth of 1.80 meters, the base and flooring will be renewed using original materials, and the electrical and lighting systems will be updated. The oculus will be closed with a slab of alabaster.
The altar was completed in 1497 and has been packed and stored since its disassembly in the 1980s. It is a mixed work of sculpture and oil painting on wood, attributed to Pedro Díaz de Oviedo, featuring Hispano-Flemish characteristics. After the restoration of the chapel, the altar will be able to return to its original location.
Commitment to heritage conservation
This intervention is part of the Zaragoza Provincial Council‘s commitment to the conservation of historical heritage. In total, the institution will invest nearly 700,000 euros in both actions: the Santiago chapel (304,000 euros) and its altar (85,000 euros), in addition to the prior restoration of the chapel of La Purification (290,000 euros, carried out between 2019 and 2023). Currently, the Zaragoza Provincial Council is the only institution intervening in the temple.
