Centro de Estudios Históricos de Obras Públicas y Urbanismo
Westkapelle Lighthouse, Piet Mondrian, 1910. An exhibit on show at the "Civil Engineering in Painting" exhibition
The activities carried out by the Centro de Estudios Históricos de Obras Públicas y Urbanismo (CEHOPU) in 2003 were mainly based upon the completion of the work that was started in previous years, together with the initiation of new lines of research that will come to their fruition in the coming years and developing the habitual tasks that require ongoing dedication from one year to the next.
As far as Itinerant Exhibitions abroad where concerned, one of the highlights was the opening of the exhibition "Agustín de Betancourt. The Beginning of Modern Engineering in Europe", in St. Petersburg ( Russia ), to coincide with the 3rd Centenary of the founding of the capital of the Tsars. The Spanish engineer had close ties with this city. The exhibition was presented in Russian, with documentation and representative models, some of which were original and dated back to the periods concerned; it was inaugurated by H. M. Príncipe de Asturias, D. Felipe de Borbón y Grecia on 24th June 2003 in the Yusupov de Fontanka Palace, in the exhibition hall belonging to the State University.
Towards the end of 2003, the "Torroja" exhibition began its itinerant journey through several Italian Universities:
- Venice: Universitá degli studi. Facoltá di Architettura. October 2003.
- Naples: Seconda Universitá degli studi di Napoli. Facoltá di Ingegneria. December 2003.
It is expected to carry on its tour of Italy throughout 2004.
In Spain, the "Iribarren. Engineering and Sea" exhibition has visited the following places:
- Castellón. February 2003. "The Port Authority's Moruno Pavilion".
- Cádiz. Bay of Cádiz Port Authority's Exhibition Hall. May 2003.
- Gijón. Port Authority's "Antigua Rula" Exhibition Hall. Inaugurated on 10th June, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Fomento, Francisco Álvarez-Cascos Fernández.
Model of the "Fedala Water Tank", belonging to the "Torroja" exhibition
- Melilla. Port Authority's 5th Centenary Building Exhibition Hall. August 2003, coinciding with the Melilla Nautical Week.
- Sevilla. Port of Sevilla Information Centre Exhibition Hall (Harbour Trust). Sevilla Port Authority, september 2003.
View of the Zurriola Beach (Gros) towards the end of last century. (Basque Government Transport and Public Works Department)
The exhibition "The Beginning of Modern Engineering in Europe", was inaugurated on 2nd june 2003 in the Museo Iberoamericano, Convento de Santo Domingo, in Orotava (Tenerife), in collaboration with the Canary Isles History of Science Trust. The fortunate coincidence that the site of the exhibition was also the place where the young Betancourt spent his early school years is also worth mentioning. Orotava Town Council collaborated closely in organising this exhibition, and the programme of events to commemorate the Fundation 5th Centenary of the town formed part of the exhibition.
The exhibition "Manila. 1571-1898. The Western Orient" was inaugurated at the Museo Marítimo de Cantábrico (Santander) in May 2003, as one of the opening acts for the new museum and art gallery, which has been considerably enlarged.
The CEHOPU's Collection of Models on the Historic Public Works has formed part of a variety of exhibitions, notably the following:
- Engineering Devices and Machines Collection. Santander, Palacio del Embarcadero. Santander Port Authority.
- "You Are Water" Exhibition. Canal de Isabel II.
- "150 Years of Saving in Spain" Exhibition. Spanish Association of Savings Banks.
- "Expo Lighthouses 2003" Exhibition. Collection of Lighthouse Models.
- Lighthouse Museum. Historical lighthouse at Punta de la Banya. Tarragona Port Authority. Collection of Lighthouse Models.
- Metallurgical Mining Heritage Museum Project. Minas de Almadén.
The "Railway Territory" model formed part of the commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the railway in Spain, celebrated in 1998. With a surface area covering more than 200 m2, it depicts Spain's wet and dry landscape in abstract form, and features several milestones in railway engineering development. Scale models run through the layout to show spanish rail transport in the past, present and future. This impressive model could be seen in different places in the country, forming part of the exhibitions that were on show at different workshops, symposiums and events organised by the Secretaría de Estado de Infraestructuras of the Ministry of Fomento, in different cities. In 2003, the model could be seen in:
- Granada: January. New Infrastructures and High-Speed Trains Workshop
- Zamora: February. La Rioja Railways 2000-2010.
- León: March. New High-Speed Trains Workshop.
"Engineering and Public Works in the Times of Felipe II" and "Artifex. Roman Engineering in Spain" are going to constitute part of the CEHOPU's itinerant exhibitions. The different activities that are necessary to bring together the exhibits were carried out during the course of 2003. It is envisaged that these magnificent exhibitions will be ready for inauguration throughout Spain during the last quarter of 2004
Where New Exhibitions are concerned, mention must be made of the work undertaken throughout 2003 with respect to the "Civil Engineering in Painting" exhibition. More than forty paintings from 18th to 20th Century will make up this magnificent exhibition, which is scheduled to be inaugurated in Madrid next january, in the temporary Exhibition Hall at the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid.
Model "Cabo Mayor Lighthouse" belonging to the Lighthouse section of the Collection of Public Works History Models
On 22nd September 2003, "The Construction of the Valencia Region. Civil Engineering Heritage and History" exhibition was inaugurated at the Centro Valenciano de Cultura Mediterránea "La Beneficencia"; it was achieved in collaboration with the Civil Engineer's Professional Association of the Valencia Region. The exhibits were presented in November at the, The Castellón Port Authority's "Moruno Pavilion", and finished its itinerant journey in Alicante in 2004. The exhibition covers the development of the Region of Valencia from the perspective of bygone engineering works, a testimony to the collective effort that was made to adapt the environment to the requirements of society and its progress.
The "Public Works in Cataluña" exhibition was organised jointly with the Civil Engineer's Professional Association as one of the acts to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Royal Academy of Engineering. It was inaugurated on 5th December at the Estación de Francia, in Barcelona. It features the past, present and future of Public Works in Cataluña, and makes an outstanding contribution to the Civil Engineering developed in that Region.
Model "Ship Windmill" belonging to the Engineering Devices section of the Collection of Public Works History Modelss
Several acts took place in 2003 to mark the commemoration of the bicentenary of the death of Pedro Rodríguez de Campomanes, the First Conde de Campomanes. The Ministry of Fomento made its contribution with the exhibition "Campomanes. A Statesman", which was prepared by the CEHOPU. The Secretary of State for Infrastructures D. Benigno Blanco Rodríguez opened the exhibition on 31st May 2003, in Tineo (Asturias), the birthplace of the First Conde de Campomanes. The exhibits concern the public works of the period, associated with his forty years of service with the Public Administration.
In 2003, work commenced on preparing two major new exhibitions "Spain and the Mediterranean. The Engineering Domain" and "The History of Concrete in Spain", which are scheduled to be inaugurated in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The first of these will provide a detailed account of Spanish Engineering from the end of the 14th Century until the dawn of the 18th Century in the Mediterranean area under the Crown of Aragon and Spain. So far, the contents of the exhibition have been established and the Biblioteca Nacional has committed itself to allowing its exhibition rooms to be used.
In the last quarter of 2003 the preparatory work began for the exhibition "Public Works in Castilla-La Mancha". It is planned to open this exhibition in Toledo during the final quarter of 2004, in collaboration with the Castilla-La Mancha Department of the Civil Engineer's Professional Association, before the exhibits are shown in the rest of the capitals of the provinces in the Region during the course of 2005.
Presentation Poster for the "Railway Territory" model
Throughout 2004, the Public Works Technical Engineer's Professional Association will be celebrating the 150th Anniversary of its existence; it was established by Royal Decree during the reign of Isabel II. With a view to this, in 2003 the CEHOPU started to prepare the different activities under the chairmanship of H. M. Prince of Asturias; these activities include the inauguration of an exhibition in the Sala de las Arquerías at the Ministry of Fomento, in April 2004, dealing with the history of the profession.
Modernisation and enlargement project for Barcelona, by lldefonso Cerdá
In the RESTORATION chapter, the medieval cistern of Teruel have now been returned to their original state, and they were opened to the general public in March 2003. The grounds form part of the area that Teruel City Council is preparing as a cultural environment to be enjoyed in the city. The opening ceremony, presided by the Minister of Fomento brought to light the restoration of a singular element that enables visitors to gain insight into the complete layout of the city's former water supply dating back to Medieval Times and the Renaissance.
The RESEARCH field forms the backbone of the activities carried out by the CEHOPU, and this involves preparing exhibitions, publications and the Centre's participation in courses, conferences and lectures. In this respect, the following works were initiated or completed during the course of 2003: a preliminary study on the life and works of the engineer José Eugenio Rivera; research work and a search for documentary evidence of pictorial portrayals in the world of historical public works; the Conde de Campomanes and public works in the Age of Enlightenment; Spanish Engineering in the Mediterranean, Italy and North Africa; a search for graphic, documentary and bibliographic evidence concerning the public works in the Autonomous Region of Valencia; research work and a search for documentary evidence about the public works in Castillla-La Mancha; the Public Works Engineers. 150 years of profession; compiling documents with a view to studying the works of the engineer Carlos Fernández Casadoo.
The work undertaken with respect to the Public Works Catalogue is worthy of a separate mention. The lighthouse and maritime signs and signals inventory was completed during the course of 2003; this was a result of the current approach, proposed by the CEHOPU, which involve breaking down the public works area into sectors and dealing with the cataloguing process in a customised way.
The CEHOPU took part in the following courses, lectures and conferences in 2003:
- 1st Summer Course on Cultural Heritage Management as a Sustainability Factor, held in Burgo de Osma (Soria). "Engineering Historical Heritage; The Canal de Castilla".
- 2nd Conference on Cultural Heritage Management: Industrial, Scientific and Technological Heritage. Madrid. "The Industrial Heritage of the Canal de Castilla".
Plan of the Tibi Reservoir Dam. Juan Bautista Antonelli (16th Century) Courtesy of the Conde de Villafranqueza
The National Architecture and Civil Engineering Prizes (for 2001) were awarded on 6th February 2003 at the Palacio Zurbano, headquarters of the CEHOPU, and these were presided by the Minister of Fomento, D. Francisco Álvarez-Cascos Fernández, accompanied by the presiding Civil Engineering and Architecture judges, D. Manuel L. Martín Antón, Director General of CEDEX and D. Fernando Nasarre y de Goicoechea, Director General of Housing, Architecture and Urban Planning at the Ministry of Fomento, respectively.
Cover of the catalogue prepared on the occasion of "Campomanes. A Statesman" exhibition
The ceremony, which was organised by CEDEX, attracted a large audience. The prizes were awarded to two notable personalities from the world of architecture and civil engineering: D. José Antonio Corrales Gutiérrez and D. Javier Manterola Armisén, respectively.
The following Publications went into circulation during the course of 2003:
- The catalogue for the "Campomanes. A Statesman" exhibition
- La Casa del Agua ( The House of Water ). 40 years on the banks of the River Manzanares. A special edition published to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Centro de Estudios Hidrográficos of CEDEX
The following works are being prepared for publication in 2004: The Canal de Castilla. A Regional Plan (2004); Roads and the Constructing the Territory in Zamora. Catalogue of Bridges (2004); the Catalogue for the "Civil Engineering in Painting" exhibition (2004); Roman Ways. Engineering and Construction Techniques (2004); the Catalogue for the "Public Works in Castilla-La Mancha" exhibition (2004).
The DOCUMENTATION chapter for the CEHOPU includes the "Juan García Hortelano Library", the Graphic Archives and the Archives belonging to the engineer Eduardo Torroja. The activities undertaken for the latter consisted of preparing the general inventory, computerising the database and physically arranging the documentation in its permanent place in the Palacio de Zurbano. Making these Archives available to researchers and users in general, revealed the great interest aroused and gave rise to a large number of visitors and applications for information.
Tabla Strozzi, painted in 15th Century, showing the Port and the City of Naples around 1469, with the arrival of the Aragon Fleet after its victory at the Battle of Ischia. Strozzi Palace (Florence)
The "Juan García Hortelano Library" has increased its collections, and now possesses 6,800 copies of specialist publications concerning the history of public works and urban planning.
The very nature of the Graphic Archives means that it is invariably immersed in an ongoing process of enlargement, updating and improvement to its content. The obsolescence of the equipment and a significant increase in the amount of photographic material has made it necessary to subject the databases and the software to a process of gradual adaptation. The Archives currently contain 41,500 photographs in a variety of formats.
Monographic article
The renowned spanish engineer Agustín de Betancourt and the city of St. Petersburg
Panel prepared for the "Betancourt. The Beginning of Modern Engineering in Europe" exhibition, inaugurated in St Petersburg to mark the 3rd Centenary of the founding of the capital
The year 2003 marked the 3rd Centenary of the founding of St. Petersburg, by the Tsar Peter the Great, in 1703. It was conceived not only as a capital, but also as the Russian Empire's first european city, capable of emulating such magnificent european cities as Paris, Vienna, Venice, etc. In its capacity as capital of the Empire, St Petersburg was predestined to play a major role in the revolutionary history of Russia.
One century after the city was founded, the Spanish engineer Agustín de Betancourt y Molina was commissioned to work at the service of the Tsar Alexander I. He left Spain in 1808, when the country was being invaded by Napoleon's troops.
It is undoubtedly the case that the beauty of a city like St Petersburg and the opportunity that was offered by a capital at the height of its expansion and splendour, greatly influenced Betancourt's decision, because he was an engineer with great expectations. He set up his new residence in the city, together with his family and, subsequently, with his former collaborators, who worked under his direction.
He established a school of civil engineering in the city: the Instituto de Vías de Comunicación, along similar lines to the one founded in Madrid in 1802. Betancourt died in St Petersburg in 1866, and his body was laid to rest in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, in the Lazarevski Cemetery, near the River Neva.
Betancourt left a huge legacy in Russia, bridges, canals, urban planning, buildings, machinery, engineering devices, roads, etc., and these are currently respected in an exemplary way.
Catalogue for the "Betancourt. The Beginning of Modern Engineering in Europe" exhibition
Last year, CEDEX was invited to take part in the ceremonies in commemoration of the 3rd Centenary of the founding of the city, at the request of the St Petersburg State University of Roads and Transport-the modern counterpart of the former Instituto de Vías de Comunicación, and the Spanish Embassy in Russia.
Model of the "Wooden Arch Bridge at Novgorod". An exhibit from the "Betancourt. The Beginning of Modern Engineering in Europe" exhibition
The research work conducted by the CEHOPU into Agustín de Betancourt y Molina and his activities in Spain and Russia, proved to be the perfect occasion for preparing an exhibition about the engineer. New and updated exhibits featuring hitherto unpublished work and original material were added to the work performed in 1996, which was used to constitute the basis of the exhibition. However, it was inaugurated at the Yusupov de Fontanka Palace, the abode and workplace of the famous engineer, a stone's throw from the archives and the library of the State University, whose spectacular period collections concerning the engineer and his work, served to enrich the exhibits.
The Exhibition, consisting of the models and panels in Russian that were prepared in Spain, were the gift that the Ministry of Fomento offered the city to mark the 3rd Centenary. This present will enable St Petersburg to make the people of Russia aware of part of their own past, owing to the fact that the itinerant exhibition is to visit other cities throughout Russia.
H. M. the Príncipe de Asturias D. Felipe de Borbón y Grecia presided the formal opening ceremony. Before that event took place a bronze bust of the famous engineer was unveiled in the main square at the University; the square itself was especially redesigned to mark the occasion, and is now named after its founder.
Model of the "Pontoon from a Floating Bridge". An exhibit from the "Betancourt. The Beginning of Modern Engineering in Europe" exhibition