Outrage in Soria: Historic church restoration sparks controversy

Renovating the historic 18th-century church in Soria, Spain, is making headlines worldwide. Spanish media are outraged, calling the restorers' work a "caricature." The restored cherub sculptures have suffered the most.

The renovation work has been completed at Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Mirón in the city of Soria, in the province of Castile and León in Spain. The outcome of the conservation efforts is stirring up strong emotions. Instead of admiration, disbelief, anger, and outrage prevail. According to "Rzeczpospolita," during the renovation, it was decided to add some color to the interior by combining gold and white with a salmon shade. Unfortunately, some decorations were painted over in the process.

The restored cherub sculptures, however, suffered the most. "What have they done to Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Mirón?" — that’s the question asked by activists from the Soria Patrimonio group, which works to protect local monuments. They were the first to notice the disturbing results of the conservation work in the temple.

The restoration resulted in scratches on the decorative elements, and the cherubim — previously white — have become caricatures, the activists reported in a conversation with the "El Confidential" portal.

Members of the Spanish Society of Professional Restorers and Conservators (ACRE) also responded to the controversial results of the conservation work in Soria. They called what happened at the temple "an attack on Spain's cultural heritage."

In a conversation with the "Guardian," a representative of the Osma-Soria diocese responsible for the temple addressed the renovation. He assured that everything was done based on the required permits. He also stated that while some people might not like the renovation results, some are satisfied with it.

This is not the first renovation in Spain to have caused such strong emotions. Many likely still remember the altered fresco of Jesus Christ in the temple in the Spanish town of Borja, which was "restored" by an amateur artist in 2012.

It turns out that restoration blunders happen not only to amateurs but also to professionals. Evidence of this is the renovation of the 15th-century painting "The Nativity" by Piero della Francesca in the National Gallery in London. The outcome of the specialists' work drew criticism from art lovers and experts worldwide.