"Tarragona's heritage continues to grow", highlights María Elisa Aragonés Domènech when sharing these photographs in Las Fotos de los Lectores de La Vanguardia, where the Chapel of Santa Tecla la Vella is shown, which has been recently restored and opened to the public after 60 years closed.
The Chapel of Santa Tecla is a historical and religious treasure that is located behind the apse of the Tarragona Cathedral. It is located on top of a hill, with spectacular views of the Mediterranean.
It was built in the 13th century, using materials from a previous temple. The façade presents buttresses, to which columns with capitals are attached. The portico has a semicircular arch and above it there is a small loophole window.
In addition to its architectural beauty, the Chapel of Santa Tecla also has great historical and religious importance. During the Middle Ages, the chapel was a very important pilgrimage site in the region.
It is dedicated to Saint Thecla, the patron saint of the city, a Christian martyr from the first century who was miraculously saved when an earthquake and a strong storm of water and hail that put out the fire. From that moment on, she decided to offer her chastity and blindly follow Saint Paul on her pilgrimage.
The chapel and gardens of Santa Tecla la Vella, closed for more than 60 years, reopened its doors on March 1 of this year, joining the tourist circuit of the Cathedral.
This restoration process began to be visualized two years ago and, from then on, the Museu Diocesà, Archbishopric, City Council, Provincial Council and Culture of the Generalitat began to work on the project.
The chapel became a reserve space for lapidary pieces from the 1960s and, even more so, from the activation of the Master Plan for Cathedrals in the 1990s.
The recovery process of this space began with the cataloging of the stone material found in the gardens and inside the chapel. These pieces have been transferred to the Seminari gardens and to the Casa dels Concilis.
On the other hand, a museum story has also been created from different panels and an audiovisual that explains the history of this space and the evolution of the world of death in Christian culture.
Every year, in September, the festival of Santa Tecla is celebrated, a religious festival that includes processions, masses and other cultural events.
