CHARACTERISATION OF MATERIALS ORIENTED TO THE RESTORATION OF THE PARADOR OF ÚBEDA

Built in the 16th century by the architect Andrés de Vandelvira, the Parador de Úbeda is a jewel of the Andalusian Renaissance. Inaugurated as a hotel establishment on 10 November 1930, it was the fourth parador in the state network and the first to be housed in a Renaissance palace.

Since then, it has undergone several refurbishments, most notably the major refurbishment undertaken between 1985 and 1986, which modernised its facilities without sacrificing its historical essence.

Located in the heart of Plaza Vázquez de Molina, the Parador de Úbeda is a key part of the city’s Renaissance monuments, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Its conservation is, therefore, not only a local but also a national priority.

In August 2024, Turespaña – through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (Next Generation EU) – awarded a contract for 870,406 euros to the company Fortress Restauración de Monumentos, S.L., to carry out a new phase of conservation and restoration of the building. This action is part of an ambitious national plan that includes improvements to more than 30 historic Paradors – such as those in Santiago de Compostela, La Granja, Ronda and Lorca – with a total investment of around 89-90 million euros.

The works focus on:

• Restoration of the façades, entrance hall and the exterior fountain
• Interventions on the interior drainage and roof of the Deán Ortega Palace

The aim is to preserve this building as an Asset of Cultural Interest and to reinforce its tourist, cultural and architectural value within the heritage fabric of Úbeda.

At TESELA, we have collaborated in different tasks related to the previous studies of this heritage asset.