The dome of the Escuelas Pías church in Valencia, the second largest in Spain with 16,000 blue tiles, has regained its splendor after a restoration awarded with Europa Nostra. The project avoided supporting the structure on the fragile dome to prevent collapse, combining modern techniques with traditional crafts.
A self-supporting scaffold that doesn't touch a single tile 🏗️
The technical key was a self-supporting scaffold anchored to the dome's drum, without exerting pressure on its shell. This system allowed restorers to work from the outside and inside, replacing broken tiles and repairing cracks with lime mortars. A lightweight metal framework was used, disassembled piece by piece, ensuring the stability of a structure that had been threatened for decades by leaks and deformations.
The scaffold that didn't sweat, but the workers did 😅
While the masons worked hard on the restoration, the scaffold remained firm without resting on the dome. Some neighbors thought it was a modern art installation, but no: it was just pure engineering. The best part is that now the dome looks imposing, and the scaffolds have gone to bother another historic building.