The Cathedral of the city of Oaxaca is one of the most emblematic in the country and now becomes the first historic building nationwide to be illuminated with environmentally friendly energy, as part of the “Oaxaca Shines” program, a project by Iberdrola México to highlight the splendor of notable buildings in cities declared World Heritage Sites.
The Cathedral is one of the most visited in Mexico as it belongs to its historic center, which was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1987.
“It is very significant to light up the Metropolitan Cathedral, the first historic building to be illuminated with cutting-edge technology (…) Thanks to this union of efforts, we are launching a renovation program to illuminate historic buildings that are part of our cultural heritage over the next few years, with an investment of one million dollars from Iberdrola México,” said the governor of Oaxaca, Salomón Jara Cruz, before the lighting of the baroque facade of the religious building.
Paola Martínez, Director of Communication and Social Responsibility at Iberdrola México, explained that “Oaxaca Shines” is a commitment to clean energy, as in the case of the Metropolitan Cathedral, this new installation will reduce “70% of electricity consumption, which decreases the carbon footprint.”
“The project’s goal is to illuminate 10 buildings of historical and patrimonial value in this city. The lighting systems installed have several features, one of which is energy efficiency, meaning reduced electricity consumption (…) and it also helps to beautify the buildings, making them more visible and attractive to tourists,” she assured.
The director emphasized that “the city of Oaxaca attracts, according to last year’s figures, 1.3 million people” and acknowledged that for this initiative, Iberdrola México had the collaboration of the municipal government, the state government, and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) “to protect the building during this lighting project.”
The 72 LED projectors that illuminate this jewel of Oaxacan baroque were installed respecting INAH guidelines for cataloged buildings, which is why they were placed from the exterior, allowing the building to be preserved while enhancing the facade of the religious building.
The Light Sculptors
Behind “Oaxaca Shines” is the company Varona, specialized in monumental lighting, having designed 150 buildings declared of cultural interest, including the Luxor Temple in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, as well as notable buildings in Spain, Morocco, Venezuela, and Dubai, always using sustainable and low-cost energy, like the one now illuminating the Oaxaca Cathedral.
“We wanted to illuminate the monument so that people can appreciate it and feel proud. It is true that illuminations consume energy, but what we have tried in this project is to do it with the minimum possible consumption,” said Varona’s director, Roberto Lurueña, who also noted that this was achieved with an installed power of 3,400 watts.
With this lighting, the color that titles the city of Oaxaca as ‘La Verde Antequera’ is softened, highlighting the image of the Virgin of the Assumption that appears from the top of the temple, the edges of the bell towers, and the niches of the saints placed on the altarpiece as witnesses of the state’s history.
Source: Diario de Yucatan
