Veruela Monastery is the earliest Cistercian monastery in Aragon.Every summer there is a festival aiming to reuse and promote the possibilities of the monastery
Veruela Monastery is the earliest Cistercian monastery in Aragon (Spain). It was built in the 12th century near Moncayo, the highest mountain in the province of Zaragoza. As part of a project aiming to leverage and enhance the province’s historical heritage, Veruela Verano Festival has been held for more than 25 summers.
Offering a series of concerts, the event has developed a strong personality and combines culture and heritage in an intimate, warm atmosphere against the unique backdrop of Veruela Monastery. The concerts benefit from the monastery’s acoustic properties. This festival is one of the first examples in Zaragoza of reusing heritage sites for temporary cultural events that do not affect their structure.
Every summer, leading artists from the Spanish music scene perform concerts in styles ranging from pop and rock to flamenco, demonstrating the potential of heritage sites to adapt to more modern musical tastes and trends.
Resources needed
The festival is overseen by the DPZ, which provides staff to organise the event and outsources assembly of the temporary equipment and hiring of the artists. The tickets have a discounted price because the goal is not to profit but to showcase the space and offer a quality culture program .
Evidence of success
The 2020 edition did not go ahead due to the pandemic. The 2021 edition was held with capacity limits in place to comply with current regulations and was sold out for all four concerts, creating a greater awareness among the population of the province of the importance of the Monastery and its possibilities for being used.
Potential for learning or transfer
Showing how the characteristics of heritage spaces (in this case, the atmosphere, capacity and acoustics of the monastery) can be harnessed and reused by hosting concerts by contemporary artists in them is an excellent way of raising awareness of these sites, enhancing their value and reinforcing a sense of identity among the population.
The presence of nationally renowned musicians in the area promotes nearby villages like Tarazona and is an excellent mechanism for attracting visitors to the region.
Tags: Built heritage, Cultural heritage, Culture, Heritage, Management, Reuse, Sustainable management
