Calatorao will host from November 8 to 10 the eleventh edition of the Aragonese Castellology Conference, focused on this occasion on the fortifications of the twentieth and twenty-first century. In the eight conferences that will take place, fortifications and entrenchments of the three Aragonese provinces will be discussed: the San Gregorio de Zaragozathe fortified barracks of the Guardia Civil, the Cinca river line, the fortified positions of the Battle of Teruel or the defensive organization of the Aragonese Pyrenees.
This Monday have been presented at the Diputación de Zaragozawith the interventions of the provincial deputy, Francisco Compés, and the representatives of the two associations that co-organize this event, the president of Barbacana, Antonio Pérez García, and the secretary of ARCA (Association for the Recovery of the Castles of Aragon), Elena Martínez. On behalf of the municipality of Calatorao has participated the Councillor for Culture, Victoria Casas.
These conferences are held every two years and the deputy referred to their importance “both for their informative nature and for the fact that national and international experts in the subject matter are participating”.. “It is about taking advantage of the heritage of Calatorao, with its castle, and around it generate these days that also serve to boost the cultural offer of the town and its surroundings”.
The councilor stressed that “this is a very important conference for Calatorao, hence our support to the mimas”. “Our castle is the relevant element during all the days”.he added.
For his part, the president of the Barbacana association, Antonio Perez, explained that the conference has two objectives. “On the one hand, we will be able to know more information about these great fortresses, about their history and their constructive characteristics, and on the other hand, all the data about the restorations will be put on the table.how much money has been invested, how they have been carried out and what uses they are put to,” said Perez.
These fortifications of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries were built around 1945 and, as explained Elena Martinez, “were not released”. “The number of defenses that can be between 100 and 150, in each valley we can find between 10 and 20 entrenchments.”he added.
THE PROGRAM
Friday at 19.30 hours will be the inauguration of the XI Jornadas de Castellología and then the first conference by the researcher José Manuel Clúa, on “The defensive organization of the Pyrenees in Aragón. Origin, development and tourist potential”. At 21.00, performance of the rondalla and jota group “Aires del Jalón”.
On Saturday the first lecture will be given by Juan Carlos Moreno, from the Sancho Ramírez association, about “The fortifications at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century”.. And one hour later, the architect Joel Ametlla will refer in his lecture to “The Cinca line.
At 12.15 p.m. the on-site visit and explanation of the interventions in the castle of Calatorao is scheduled to be given by the architects Pilar Cenís and Joaquín Sicilia and the archaeologist José Francisco Casabona.
In the afternoon, at 4:00 p.m., the conference will begin. “The fortified positions of the Battle of Teruel and the Alfambra in the light of the latest archaeological interventions”, by Javier Ibáñez and Rubén Sáez, both from the ARCATUR association.
At 17.00, José Manuel López, PhD in History of Art, will give “The fortified barracks of the Civil Guard, built by the General Directorate of Devastated Regions of Aragon”. and at 6.15 p.m., conference on “The defensive organization of the Pyrenees, origin and other confrontations on the French side”.by Juan Manuel Alfaro, from the Fundació Les Fortaleses Catalanes.
At 7.15 p.m., lecture “Fortifications in international missions. A model in the San Gregorio de Zaragoza maneuvering field”.The lecture will be given by the Army Colonel José Ramón Pardos.
The third and last day of the conference will be on Sunday with a lecture by Pablo Schenell (manager of the AEAC) about “Spanish fortification in the 20th century”..
In conclusion, the following will take place awards and recognitions for their work of dissemination, protection and projects in the field of castles, fortifications or the conference itself. The municipal band “Mariano Gracia Escario” will put the colophon to this new edition of the days of castellology of Calatorao.
The events are open to the general public and will be held at the Casa de las Asociaciones de Calatorao. Also this year, as a novelty, previous activities will take place from Tuesday until Thursday, such as visits for associations from other towns or visits for schoolchildren.
In the last edition, experts from different parts of the world came to the town of Calatorao, Zaragoza, from different parts of Spain and, as indicated by the organizationAccording to the organization, between 150 and 200 people attended the conference.