Summary:
Brotéria Library restoration wins €50,000 Gulbenkian Heritage Prize.
Project enhances public access to 4,000 ancient books.
Award recognizes significant cultural heritage interventions.
Restoration involved cleaning and stabilizing 160,000 volumes.
Honorable mentions for various important cultural restoration projects.
Brotéria Library Restoration Honored
The restoration project of the Brotéria Library in Lisbon has been awarded the Gulbenkian Heritage Prize, valued at €50,000. This initiative, recognized on Monday, aims to preserve and publicly make available the library's historical collection, including its Fundo do Livro Antigo, which houses 4,000 books.
Project Details
This award-winning intervention not only focused on preservation but also on enhancing public access to the library's extensive resources. The Brotéria Library's collection has been accumulated over the past 100 years, totaling approximately 160,000 volumes: 90,000 titles in the General Fund, nearly 4,000 from the Ancient Book Fund (published before 1800), and around 65,000 periodicals.
Significance of the Award
The Gulbenkian Prize, which honors cultural heritage interventions, received 20 submissions this year, with the Brotéria Association achieving unanimous support from the jury. This award, established in 2007 in memory of patron Vasco Vilalva, highlights significant contributions to cultural preservation.
Restoration Efforts
The restoration involved meticulous cleaning and stabilization of all volumes, with specialized professionals addressing the most critically preserved items. The project also aims to broaden access to various bibliographic collections, offering digital access to documents from the Roman Archive of the Society of Jesus and the Jesuits in Asia collection from the Ajuda Library.
Cultural Impact
The jury acknowledged that this project plays a vital role in consolidating a significant cultural hub in the area, connecting with institutions like São Roque Palace, São Roque Church, Chiado Museum, and the National Conservatory.
Honorable Mentions
Honorable mentions were proposed for projects including the restoration of São Roque Palace, Casa Ásia in Chiado, the Major Seminary of Coimbra, and the Convent of Santa Clara in Funchal, Madeira. Each of these projects showcases significant historical and cultural importance, with efforts to restore and modernize these heritage sites.
Award Ceremony
The Gulbenkian Heritage Award ceremony will take place on Thursday at 5 PM at the Brotéria, featuring the president of Gulbenkian, António Feijó, jury members, and representatives of all honored projects.
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