The Infanta Cristina presides in Ávila the acts of the XV Anniversary of the Heritage Cities.
The Infanta Cristina presides in Avila the acts to commemorate the XV Anniversary of the Constitution of the Group of World Heritage Cities of Spain, which took place in the capital of Avila on September 17, 1993 with the youngest daughter of the Kings.
The anniversary will also serve to inaugurate the Palace of the Executioners (16th century), located in the historic center of the city.
This 16th century stately building, also called Casa de Don Suero del Águila, will become a cultural space of the first order, since its remodeled facilities will house the Municipal Historical Archive, the offices of management of local heritage and Unesco and the Permanent Secretariat of the Group of World Heritage Cities of Spain.
The launch of this property has been made to coincide with the fifteenth anniversary of the creation of this group made up of thirteen partners, including Ávila, Salamanca and Segovia in Castilla y León.
Also on September 17, but in 1993, the Infanta Cristina went to the capital of Avila to act as godmother of honor of a group of which they were then part, along with the three cities of Castilla y León, Santiago de Compostela, Cáceres and Toledo .
The commemorative acts of the XV Anniversary are completed with the inauguration at 6:00 p.m. of the Course of Managers in the World Heritage Cities of Spain and with the official presentation of the music composed for the Group by the composer Miguel San Miguel and performed by the Symphony Orchestra and Choir Ciudad de Ibiza.
In addition, on Thursday, September 18, the mayor of Ávila, Miguel Ángel García Nieto, and the president of Caja Duero, Julio Fermoso, will inaugurate in the Palacio de los Verdugo the photographic exhibition & nbsp; “World Heritage Cities. Thirteen jewels of Spain “, with 78 images by José Manuel Navia (Madrid, 1957) and texts by Gustavo Martín Garzo.
Although many have been to Salamanca, few would recognize one of the images captured by this Madrid photographer. It is the one made to a multi-storey building located on Francisco de Vitoria street. On its facade a dim light is perceived that remains in the background due to the luminosity coming from the interior of each house; it is sensed that there are students inside.
The exhibition will remain in Ávila until October 26, before traveling to Salamanca, where it can be seen from November 6 to January 11, 2009.
In the case of Ávila, along with novel forms of the wall, the cell of Santa Teresa in the Monastery of the Incarnation or the beautiful and mysterious Calle de la Vida y la Muerte is portrayed.
There are several snapshots of Segovia. One of them with the Cathedral and the wall, another in the bedroom of Antonio Machado’s house and a third in the Plaza Mayor, with the Juan Bravo Theater in the background.
These are just some of the examples in this exhibition that premieres the remodeled facilities of the Palacio de los Verdugo (16th century), after its inauguration. The content could not be other than the World Heritage Cities of Spain.
José Manuel Navia has immersed himself in the spirit of these thirteen cities throughout this year, with a surprising result, which not only shows the soul of these places, but also reveals another face and another light -a fundamental aspect in Navia’s photos- of its historic centers.
The exhibition, which includes 78 images and is completed with an ambitious catalog of 210, has texts by the writer Gustavo Martín Garzo and tries to recover the concept of traveler, fleeing from that of a tourist. & Nbsp; “My images, close to Gustavo’s words, they will never feel cold “, & nbsp; has commented the Madrid photographer.
Likewise, he has defended the need to approach these cities & nbsp; “as if they were real living organisms and not like those false ‘Disneylands’ in which they sometimes want to turn them”. & nbsp; For this reason, he has wanted to photograph the & nbsp; “forgotten corners” & nbsp; of these places, as well as the & nbsp; “small details” & nbsp; including the & nbsp; “wounds on their walls or the imperfections that make them more true, like people. “
“Photographing is perhaps nothing more than portraying the invisible wounds of existence “, & nbsp; has commented recalling a quote from the writer Manuel Rivas.
Its inauguration was attended by the mayor of Avila, Miguel Ángel García Nieto, the author of the photographs, the director of the Caja Duero Social Work, Antonio Sánchez, and the president of & nbsp; “La Fábrica” , Alberto Anaud.