Diocese reveals completion date for Malaga Cathedral's new 22.5-million-euro roof

The Diocese of Malaga has announced a date for the completion of the Cathedral's gable roof, aimed at preventing leaks to the place of worship in the future. At the moment, 30% of the project has been completed. The end of this process is expected by the middle or end of 2027. For the moment, everything is going according to plan, which means that there should not be delays.

Architect Juan Manuel Sánchez La Chica said that the central area of the roof was the simplest from construction point of view, as it repeats the shapes of the wooden trusses that are raised with a 65-metre crane. However, the process has reached a more complex stage. From September onwards, it will move to the ambulatory, which will follow plans drawn up by Ventura Rodríguez in 1764.

The budget has reached 22.5 million euros so far. The main purpose of this work was to make the roof waterproof, prevent leaks and drain the water through newly installed downpipes. In addition, the idea is to make the roof open to visits, both from the outside and inside.

Sánchez La Chica semi-jokingly said that the Cathedral's architects of the 18th century's plans "speak to them through the stones". When Rodríguez and then Antonio Ramons designed the temple, they had great ambitions, which the city could not fulfil in one go. The head of the current work stated that they are picking up "what was left unfinished in July 1782". Along the way, they discovered a hidden staircase that leads up to the intermediate roofs.

Taking things "step by step", the architect prefers to wait and see whether they would be able to resume the construction of the south tower. At the moment, priority steps are solving the leakage problems and, then, restoring the damp ceilings inside the church. Sánchez La Chica also said that he would be in favour of building the four towers planned to complete the 'cubillos' that frame the facades of the transept.

The original plans also include nine stone sculptures of Jesus Christ and eight saints, but this part of the project has not received funding yet. "There are things that it pains me not to finish," said the architect. Despite the uncertainty of what will be possible in the future, he takes pride in the large interior space that has been created under the roof and that will be open to the public.

The last stage of the plan expected to be fully executed in 2027 includes the placing of tiles in cream and honey tones, which will decorate one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Spain left unfinished for 243 years due to lack of financial resources.