Religious heritage as a classroom: Showcasing research findings in “Territorio Mudejar”
About this good practice
Territorio Mudéjar is an association of municipalities which, with the support of the Provincial Government of Zaragoza, works to strengthen a unified, agile and collaborative management network for the use of the historical and artistic resources linked to the Mudejar architecture of Aragon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as a driving force for the development of cities and as an element of identity for the maintenance of communities.
The association works with all kinds of heritage sites, more than 200 examples of buildings, of which 80% are religious buildings, of these 60% are owned by the Catholic Church and retain a religious use, although only 20% are in constant use and all of them have a strong presence in the cities of the association.
One of the most important objectives of the association is to work with municipalities to improve the use of rural religious heritage for its conservation and to present uses of religious spaces for training in subjects that use the historical space as part of the content: Architecture is not just a container or a stage, architecture is part of the training and, therefore, can only make sense in that space.
This way of thinking about the uses of heritage offers great possibilities for rural areas, since each of the spaces and programmes of action is unique and singular and, therefore, a perfect management model for rural religious heritage.
Resources needed
Since 2019, the association has invested around 200,000 euros in the implementation of pilot actions. The technical staff dedicated to the design of the pilot projects is about two people, but sometimes the implementation of a single activity can involve up to ten highly qualified people.
Evidence of success
In general, the Territorio Mudéjar project stands out as a model of good practice due to its focus on educational participation, community empowerment, sustainable practices and interdisciplinary collaboration. The project has developed more than 50 pilot actions that they are not particularly expensive, but they do imply a change in the methodology of knowledge transfer, putting the emphasis on the building, its analysis of uses and the specific impact on each community.
Potential for learning or transfer
The heritage sites of the Mudéjar Territory are transformed into dynamic places of knowledge that combine education, research and community participation, thus enriching both the local culture and the experiences of visitors. This multifunctional approach helps to guarantee the relevance and preservation of heritage for future generations, providing a model that enhances uniqueness and, at the same time,is scalable and replicable thanks to the methodologies developed.
More than 50 pilot activities that can be taken as examples for the following topics:
- Educational sites: The architecture is integrated into the learning experience.
- Research platforms: The sites are used for research projects thus connecting with contemporary applications.
- Cultural and knowledge exchange: Events enable heritage experts to connect with the rural community. Heritage sites become platforms for participation.
- Multimedia use: Heritage sites are adapted to uses such as broadcasting and media formats.
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