The dome of El Poble Nou de Benitatxell, with its characteristic white and blue tiles, is a visual and architectural reference in the municipality. That's why he town hall He has started the procedures to restore it. The works will go out to tender for 102.000 euros.
Today, some of the tiles that make up have fallen or are badly deteriorated. In fact, in one of its parts and the characteristic blue and white fabric that makes it one of the most unique architectural elements of the town and the region is not appreciated.
"The work must be meticulous and handmade by the network of shingles, damaged must be replaced by others exactly identical, it is very important that the same model of tile is used to achieve reproduce the same drawing"Said Josep Femenia, mayor of the municipality.
The dome of the church of Santa María Magdalena is a must-see for tourists who visit the municipality. Also one of the most unique architectural elements of the profile of El Poble Nou de Benitatxell and even of the neighboring towns, well visible from kilometers away.
It began to be built in 1710, finishing, in 1774, according to the chronicles. The roof tiles that are going to be substituted by the new ones have, therefore, a great patrimonial value.
In this sense, as pointed the pastor of the Church, Guillermo Gilabert Llobell "antique tiles can be purchased as a memento for the villagers who wish, it is something that was already done when I was parish priest in the Church of the Assumption Denia and that was very well received".
According to the project architect, Josep Ivars, the hardest part is making the scaffolding. The steep slope of the dome requires craftsmanship. "The tiles have to develop as the need to cook with a hole to favor the vertical anchor, if not make that hole before cooking and what we have to do, we could break the tiles"Josep Ivars noted.
Ivars is an architect who has extensive experience in similar projects and that once projected the restoration of the dome of the Church of the Assumption in Denia.
A church from the early eighteenth century
The church has a Latin cross, a single nave with side chapels between buttresses and dome on a small circular illuminated drum with oculi and spandrels on the cruise. The nave is covered with vault arches on formeros and lunettes.
All these elements are decorated with gilded geometric motifs, garlands and panels that complement, from the viewpoint of the other ornamental elements of classical architecture, such as cornices, Tuscan and Corinthian capitals, friezes, etc.
The main altar is closed with an apse covered with orange dome room. On the facade a tower of square plant and three bodies retranqueada is positioned with respect to the retablo facade appears. This presents a closing broken fronton shaped culminating a composition nested on access, which falls between two pillars with entablamento where the niche is located with a sculptural motif.
