Guayaquil Cathedral: visitors concerned about the deterioration of columns; in the curia it is expected that with an ordinance the resumption of work will be made possible | Community | Guayaquil

When entering the Cathedral of Guayaquil through the main door of Chimborazo street, mysticism is perceived. Along the corridor that leads to the main altar, the devotion of Guayaquil residents and visitors is evident, as well as the arrival of tourists to appreciate the main church of the local archdiocese, a heritage emblem of the Pearl of the Pacific that this month celebrates its 487 years of founding process.

The San Pedro Apóstol Cathedral, which is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary, offers 34 weekly masses and receives more than a thousand people with a full house. However, its visitors were concerned because the damage became more evident: pillars with deteriorated masonry, broken stained glass windows, walls with holes and damage, in addition to the dirt that covers various areas and shows a lack of attention.

Technical studies are carried out to repair Guayaquil Cathedral

These affectations that can be detected by the parishioners are not the only ones in the Cathedral of Guayaquil. This church has structural damage that the citizens cannot see, but it does appear in the report made by a private consultant after a tour and various tests that it prepared together with the technical team of the archdiocese of Guayaquil.

The result of these studies reveals that of the 36 main pillars that the Cathedral has, 70% of these are affected. In a sampling that was done, it was found that the percentage of cement is very low, in addition to having corroded iron, which would imply that if there is a large-scale telluric movement in Guayaquil, one or some of these columns could give way and cause serious damage. to the structure of the church, without imagining the consequences if he were with visitors.

This is what the civil engineer Miguel Banda, head of the technical department of the Curia, warns. He explains that the urgent repairs to the Cathedral are the columns, the beams, the hydraulic system and part of the roof.

The repair of the damage to the Cathedral already has a process of five years after the earthquake of April 2016. Initially, a report of the evident damage was made to deliver to the Municipality of Guayaquil, which contributed financially to start with some repairs, however , at the beginning of the works, new and more complex internal damages were evidenced.

“What we want to repair is the bone, the marrow of the Cathedral. In the first instance, with the municipal contribution, they managed to fix the north tower and south tower, put “something decent” in the Cathedral after the earthquake, but this damage to the columns was reported. And we have been in the process, we ask for approval for the work on the columns, to change the initial report, there are already four years of paperwork, accountability, Comptrollership, etc. ”, he comments.

Damage to the pillars and beams can be seen at the back of the Cathedral of Guayaquil. Photo: Carlos Barros/El Universo. Photo: The Universe

He explains that they are now preparing a new report for the Municipality, to update the situation of the Cathedral and see how to obtain the necessary budget, to repair these four structural damages, more than $1,100,000 is needed, and adding to the other works they give more than $6,000,000.

“The report is there, what is not there is the money. This process must be done now, we are preparing all the documents”, says Banda.

Several pillars of the Cathedral reflect external damage, they would be a product of the leak. Photo: Carlos Barros.

And it details that according to the suggestions of the report, a total coating of metal plates must be made to the columns, adjusted with bolts, which is to line the pillar. In addition to repairing the hydraulic system that is damaged due to blockages, parts that have rusted, etc.

“The advantage of the Cathedral is that it has a monster of columns. It is strong but you have to take care of this base damage. Exact costs of damage to works of art such as stained glass have not yet been counted. They are pieces that need maintenance and it has not been done, some are already broken, others are concave, that is, they have taken a different shape from the original, they are sustained, very fragile”, explained Banda.

Monsignor Luis Cabrera, Archbishop of Guayaquil, indicates that the Cathedral is a monument of cultural heritage for its art, its history and its spirituality. And the Municipality of Guayaquil has committed its economic contribution so that it does not lose its architectural beauty and is also a point of attraction for tourism, he says.

Cross of Guayaquil Cathedral fell when it was removed for restoration

“The damage caused by the 2016 earthquake in the structure of the Cathedral is very large and serious and if it does not intervene immediately, it would run the risk of even being disabled, which would be a loss for the entire city and the country,” he explains.

He also invites all people, believers and non-believers, to become aware of the value of the cathedral and to collaborate financially so that this heritage work continues to be a benchmark of spirituality, art and culture.

The Archdiocese hopes that with the ordinance for the evaluation of patrimonial infrastructures that is carried out for the city, joint work can be resumed to repair the damages that the building of the Cathedral has. (YO)

Guayaquil Cathedral: visitors concerned about the deterioration of columns; in the curia it is expected that with an ordinance the resumption of work will be made possible | Community | Guayaquil