Villamorón, in Burgos, is a perfect example of emptied Spain. It has half a dozen houses standing, which today are second homes for families who emigrated and return in the summer, in addition to a neighbor who lives there more or less regularly (José María Bustillo, 66 years old, retired bank employee, who distributes his time between Barcelona and his hometown). But this town has something more. A cathedral.
Although this is the case most of the year, it cannot be said in a strict sense that Villamorón has only one neighbor because this town depends administratively on neighboring Villegas, with 94 inhabitants, according to the 2022 census. Together, led by the Friends association of Villamorón, have saved the church of Santiago Apóstol, the cathedral of the páramo, a late Romanesque or proto-Gothic jewel from the 13th century.
It is not known why such a monumental building was located in a place so far from main routes and which in the 19th century never had more than 150 residents. What was known is that it was falling apart. Friends of Villamorón and the town of Villegas managed to get the Junta de Castilla y León to allocate one million euros of European funds in 2009 so that the cathedral of the páramo did not collapse. But there was still much to do.
The restoration of the choir was possible in 2020 thanks to a crowdfunding campaign through Hispania Nostra, a non-profit and public utility association, which has been working since 1976 in the defense and promotion of cultural and natural heritage (we talked about it here). The choir, which was decayed and had lost pieces of the railing, would look splendid today if it weren't for the fact that its basement is an improvised storage room.
Waiting for better days, the altarpiece was dismantled and packed under the choir nine years ago. Much earlier, in the seventies, when the last family of Villamorón left and the church was closed to worship, the carvings were transferred to the Altarpiece Museum in the capital. “Those were the times of a sadly famous looter of sacred art, Erik the Belgian,” recalls Pedro Francisco Moreno, from Amigos de Villamorón.
This small and active association has put the town and its cathedral on the world map (they have partners and donors even from the US). Now, again with the help of Hispania Nostra, it wants to celebrate its twenty years of existence with a new crowdfunding campaign to recover this impressive baroque altarpiece and in the process free up the space it occupies so that the previous restorations can shine as they deserve.
The altarpiece, made of walnut, was executed at the end of the 18th century, but it is not known when, Pedro Francisco Moreno (teacher and son and brother of teachers) qualifies with a didactic spirit. Parish records reveal that the total cost at the time amounted to 9,766 reales and eight maravedíes, which were completed in 1780, although the work was carried out “in previous years.” Updating it today would require a minimum investment of 15,000 euros.
That is the amount that the campaign aims to raise (at the moment it has more than 6,000), but its goal would be to reach 25,000. Because? Because the final cost would be around 50,000 euros and the association believes that it will be easier to encourage public institutions and potential sponsors if 50% of the budget has already been raised. In addition, donations have important tax benefits, promoters insist.
It is a titanic task, not only because the “comprehensive restoration” of this jewel, declared an asset of interest in 1994, is pursued. “In addition to the physical recovery of the church and ensuring the future of a splendid building, we want to give life to its environment, combat the scourge of depopulation,” explains the spokesperson for Friends of Villamorón. The restoration and placement of the altarpiece will free up much-needed space…
Gain space in a huge church in an uninhabited town? And so much! Villamorón and Villegas periodically organize conferences, cultural days and concerts in the cathedral of the páramo with notable success. Relocating the main altarpiece will allow it to accommodate even more attendees. Each of those visitors can become a valuable ally. Spain emptied, yes, but not resigned to disappear.
