The conservation and restoration work on the Almohad rammed earth modules of the walls of Paderne Castle was visited on October 12th by the mayor of Albufeira and the regional director of Culture of the Algarve, who were informed of the progress of the work.
The purpose of the visit was to check the progress of the work corresponding to the second phase of the restoration and conservation project of that monument, classified as a property of public interest, within the scope of the European Conservation and Restoration Days.
The works are the responsibility of the specialized company In Situ – Conservação de Bens Culturais, Lda., under a cooperation protocol between DRCAlg and Albufeira City Council, with funding from CRESC Algarve 2020 – Algarve Regional Operational Program.
Paderne Castle is a Hisn, a small Hispano-Muslim rural fortification from the Almohad period (second half of the XNUMXth century and first decades of the XNUMXth century), whose walls were produced through a unique and now lost construction process: military rammed earth.
The process consisted of mixing local earth, added with inert materials and stabilized with air lime, which were compacted, between ramparts, by flooring. The block or module obtained, once exposed to prolonged carbonation, acquired the resistance of stone with which it came to us.
Mayor José Carlos Rolo revealed that “the Municipality is committed to the conservation and restoration of this property of great relevance to the municipality”.
“Paderne Castle is an ex-libris of Albufeira, a Property of Public Interest, which is part of our identity. It is essential to preserve historical heritage, not only as a way of maintaining our roots, but also to complement the tourist offer with authentic cultural products”, added the mayor.
For her part, Adriana Nogueira said that “the architectural solutions, characteristics and singularities of this monument make Paderne Castle a strong contribution to historical and archaeological knowledge”.
The regional director of Algarve Culture highlighted the importance of this Property of Public Interest, “as it is the best example in the country of a building entirely produced using a construction technique that has now been abandoned”.
The European Conservation and Restoration Days are an initiative launched by ECCO – European Confederation of Conservator-Restorers Organizations, which takes place annually in October, since the European Year of Cultural Heritage (2018).
Photos: Rui Gregório | CM Albufeira
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