The Lleida City Council has launched the comprehensive renovation of the lighting on the Turó de la Seu Vella, an action that covers the Cathedral, the Suda, and the entire heritage surroundings. The work began last week and the forecast is that the new night image of the complex can be unveiled in the coming weeks, coinciding with the Festa Major.
The mayor of Lleida, Fèlix Larrosa, visited the performance this Tuesday along with the deputy mayor for Urban Agenda, Begoña Iglesias. During the visit, the mayor defended that the intervention will mean "a substantial change" in the perception of the monument.
"We recovered the essence of the stone and the details that should be valued, especially when seen from afar" - Fèlix Larrosa, mayor of Lleida
346 new light points throughout the area
The project, validated by the Territorial Commission of Heritage, foresees the replacement of 346 light points with LED technology. The action also includes the renovation of the wiring and the implementation of a point-to-point remote management system, with which it seeks to improve the control and operation of the installation.
The works are carried out by the company Romero Polo Edison Next, concessionaire of the new public lighting maintenance contract for the city.
Until now, the lighting of the Turó de la Seu Vella was based on sodium vapor streetlights, a system that generates an orange and uneven tone. With the new LED installation, with a color temperature of 2200K, the council wants to achieve a more natural and homogeneous light and improve the night vision of the heritage site.
More depth in the bell tower and the cloister
The intervention is not limited to the exterior. The project also includes the renovation of the interior lighting of the bell tower and the cloister to bring more depth and architectural volume to two of the most recognizable spaces in the monumental complex.
The action has a budget of 744,027.80 euros, VAT included, and is integrated into the new lighting contract for Lleida, valued at 31.2 million euros for the next 12 years.
A broader plan for neighborhoods and heritage spaces
This municipal contract also incorporates an investment of 8 million euros to replace nearly 15,000 light points with LEDs in different parts of the city. This renovation will be financed through an interest-free loan from IDAE, which will be repaid with the energy savings generated by the new system.
The municipal plan foresees extending the improvements to other heritage spaces and several neighborhoods of Lleida with the objective of reinforcing security, eliminating dark areas, and modernizing facilities that had become obsolete. In the case of the Turó de la Seu Vella, the city council trusts that the new lighting will reinforce the visual presence of the monument in the city's night profile.