The Municipal Council for Cultural Heritage of La Laguna discussed the musealisation project of Casa Anchieta during its most recent session. This 16th-century edifice was the childhood and adolescent home of the humanist saint José de Anchieta (1534-1597) and was completed last year, transforming it into the first interpretation centre in the Islands dedicated to the life, works, and legacy of the man widely known as Father Anchieta. Consequently, the council agreed to proceed with the musealisation project initiated by Pintadera Consultoría y Gestión SL in 2016 and updated in July 2023, at the behest of the Department of Cultural Heritage, as indicated by the respective department.
As a result of this Council agreement, they noted that the department has commenced an economic reassessment of the costs involved in this intervention, in addition to drafting the technical and administrative specifications required to tender the execution of the works and the provision of the museography.
The Councillor for Cultural Heritage, Adolfo Cordobés, stated that “the implementation of the project has been postponed due to delays in the rehabilitation work on the building, which were extended due to unforeseen circumstances necessitating urgent intervention. This is why we could not qualify for a supra-municipal grant to finance the establishment of the interpretation centre.”
Back in April, the La Laguna City Council had reported that, as a result of the complexities and issues arising during these works, the deadline to activate a subsidy granted for the musealisation had lapsed, and alternative financing options were being explored. “Following this extended journey and with the support of the plenary session and the Municipal Council, we have resolved to undertake the project using our own resources,” the mayor has now announced.
Cordobés highlighted that the council will inform the Brotherhood of Knights of San José de Anchieta, the advocates of the institutional motion, which was approved by the plenary last April, about the allocation of the property for this purpose. Additionally, he mentioned, “We aim to gather your insights for the process we are about to initiate regarding the management system of the centre, wherein we will review and analyse the legal and financial proposals from various entities and individuals associated with the study and promotion of the saint’s figure, in collaboration with the Municipal Council for Cultural Heritage.”
This structure resides in the vicinity of Plaza del Adelantado, within the UNESCO World Heritage city boundaries, and has been designated as an Asset of Cultural Interest.
In 2021, the city council commenced comprehensive rehabilitation of the property (which has been municipally owned since 1989), having undergone several interventions throughout its history. The objective was to recover its history and uniqueness for preservation and dissemination purposes; additionally, it has been adapted for museum use, integrating essential basic structural equipment including technical facilities, security measures, and accessibility features. The project concluded a year ago with an investment exceeding 700,000 euros.
The tender will be developed based on the previously mentioned project by Pintadera Consultoría y Gestión SL, which outlines the content, museographic solution, graphic design approach, and technical equipment proposals, allowing enhancements provided they do not increase costs for the city council, they noted.
Project
According to information from the council, the museum project aims to create an engaging tour for visitors that allows them to learn about the figure of Father Anchieta while also highlighting the significance of the city of La Laguna. The connection is highlighted by the fact that its designation as a World Heritage site parallels the importance of this historical figure. This link is founded on the projection of the open city model without walls towards the New World, a characteristic of lagoon urbanism, which is one of the reasons justifying its designation by UNESCO, alongside Anchieta’s role in laying the foundations of modern Brazil extending into the future. Furthermore, the city layout has origins dating back to his era and has been preserved since.
The museological strategy seeks to illustrate the personal journey of José de Anchieta through the geographical contexts that shaped his life: his birthplace, La Laguna; the place that enhanced his humanist education and confirmed his religious vocation, Coimbra; and the country where he lived and contributed to its formation, Brazil. This will follow a chronological design, dedicating substantial focus to elucidating his significant intellectual and scientific contributions.
Following this framework, the exhibition space will be adapted to the building based on an initial plan where the ground floor will host four rooms focused on the history of La Laguna, the building itself, the life chronicle of Anchieta, and his studies in Coimbra.
The upper floor will comprise five rooms, addressing the conquest of Brazil, significant historical and religious events of the time, and Anchieta’s life in this context. Moreover, it will delve into his literary and philological accomplishments, as well as his work as a naturalist and anthropologist. This will include his correspondence and studies related to Americanism, alongside contributions from Manuela Marrero (the eminent professor of Paleography and official chronicler of the city, who passed away in 2013), a sculpture of the saint by Bruno Giorgi, his canonisation, and the legacy of Anchieta today.
The interpretation centre will feature screens, 3D and augmented reality applications, interactive backlit panels, typological models, music, correspondence, and iconographic items referencing the saint, among other aspects. Additionally, it will showcase a reconstruction of the work office of an Americanist, leveraging the legacy of Manuela Marrero and her furnishings, as well as a multipurpose educational space for various cultural activities.
