ARCHIVED - Ruined Cathedral of Cartagena opens to visitors for four days a month

The Cathedral has never been restored after being heavily bombed during the Spanish Civil War

The former Cathedral of Santa María in Cartagena, which has been in a state of ruin since it suffered heavy bombing during the Spanish Civil War, is to be open to visitors for four days at the end of each month for the remainder of 2022, it has been confirmed by the Diocese of Cartagena this week.

The first visits will be permitted between March 28 and 31 from 10.00 to 14.00, and the same timetable is scheduled for April 27 to 30, May 21, 23, 24 and 25, June 27 to 30, July 27 to 30, August 27, 29, 30 and 31, September 27 to 30, October 27 to 30, November 26, 28, 29 and 30 and December 28 to 31.

Having been declared an Item of Cultural Interest, the Cathedral must be made visitable for at least four days a month, as specified in a law passed in 2007, but it has been closed for some time due not only to the Covid pandemic but also to repairs which were needed on the Cristo del Socorro chapel.

In the meantime, the Town Hall plans to put out to tender a contract for the restoration of the cathedral at a cost of 2 million euros.

For more local news, events and visiting information go to the Cartagena section of Murcia Today.