The Enciclopedia del Románico: Spain's cultural project nobody values
The Enciclopedia del Románico by Santa María la Real, a project unique in Europe, is too expensive for the average enthusiast. Alternatives: RTVE documentaries and PDFs.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The Enciclopedia del Románico: Spain's largest cultural project that nobody talks about
A project unique in Europe, far too expensive for the average pocket
The Fundación Santa María la Real has spent decades orchestrating the Enciclopedia del Románico, a monumental work documenting the Romanesque heritage of the Iberian Peninsula. Specialists say there is nothing comparable in France, Italy or Germany. But the price – around 4,000 euros for the complete collection – makes it inaccessible for the average enthusiast. «I don't have that many kidneys», one enthusiast sums up in the thread. The Spanish paradox: a world-class cultural project that barely reaches the general public.
Free alternatives: documentaries and PDF archives
For those who cannot afford it, the foundation itself offers the PDFs with all the information on the Romanesque churches free of charge online. In addition, Spain's public broadcaster RTVE aired the series Las claves del Románico, directed by the cartoonist Peridis, which tours the main monuments. But the public broadcaster is no stranger to controversy: viewers complain that recent broadcasts interrupt the documentaries to insert political propaganda. «I prefer to download them directly to avoid the cuts», one viewer explains. Meanwhile, others argue that RTVE should preserve this content as a public service rather than be privatised.
The discussion leaves an uncomfortable question hanging in the air: why does a country with such a rich cultural heritage fail to make it accessible to its citizens without politicised middlemen?
Related discussions in the forum
A project unique in Europe, far too expensive for the average pocket
The Fundación Santa María la Real has spent decades orchestrating the Enciclopedia del Románico, a monumental work documenting the Romanesque heritage of the Iberian Peninsula. Specialists say there is nothing comparable in France, Italy or Germany. But the price – around 4,000 euros for the complete collection – makes it inaccessible for the average enthusiast. «I don't have that many kidneys», one enthusiast sums up in the thread. The Spanish paradox: a world-class cultural project that barely reaches the general public.
Free alternatives: documentaries and PDF archives
For those who cannot afford it, the foundation itself offers the PDFs with all the information on the Romanesque churches free of charge online. In addition, Spain's public broadcaster RTVE aired the series Las claves del Románico, directed by the cartoonist Peridis, which tours the main monuments. But the public broadcaster is no stranger to controversy: viewers complain that recent broadcasts interrupt the documentaries to insert political propaganda. «I prefer to download them directly to avoid the cuts», one viewer explains. Meanwhile, others argue that RTVE should preserve this content as a public service rather than be privatised.
The discussion leaves an uncomfortable question hanging in the air: why does a country with such a rich cultural heritage fail to make it accessible to its citizens without politicised middlemen?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (36 replies).
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