The route is based on a self-guided visit to eight refrigerators in as many towns located in the urban area or very close to it to facilitate access.
“Las Bóvedas del Frío” is the name of a thematic route based on the rehabilitation of a series of refrigerators built in the area of Bajo Aragón during the 16th and 17th centuries. The refrigerators are ice wells that were used in that period to store the snow for as long as possible and in this way, be able to use it for different uses such as food preservation or medicine.
Thanks to its recovery and enhancement of the refrigerators, we find ourselves with one of the star products that the traveler can find in our region. Each of the vaults of the cold deals with a topic related to snow, cold and ultimately our past The materials used in the musealization, of the latest generation, communicate to the visitor through a dramatic staging supported by lighting, music and locutions suggestive, ideas such as how to build a vault, storage, transport of snow or its uses.
In Alcañiz and Calanda, the visit is made from the Tourist Office. Audiovisuals projected on stone, dramatized locutions and the atmosphere and staging have allowed each visit to be a unique experience in these magnificent Vaults of the Cold.
if this project had not been carried out, the refrigerators would continue to be forgotten as they were buried and full of rubble since they ceased to be used in the 18th century and were unknown by the locals
Resources needed
The budget needed to start the project implementing was provided by the BajoAragón-Matarraña local action group. Comarca del Bajo Aragón was responsible for the maintenance and improvement of this infrastructure with an amount around 320,000€. Initial investment of 52,000€
Evidence of success
4 ENTITIES: City Councils, Development Association, Cultural Park and region involved in the start-up, on its maintenance and in the tourist exploitation.
Creation of 8 new rural houses
An increase in visits has allowed the creation of a new tourist office and three tourist information points
Two new tour guide companies
Awareness and appreciation of local heritage
Empowerment of the local population
Potential for learning or transfer
▪ This project meant the enhancement and tourist use of a forgotten heritage and that the local people did not believe was important
▪ It is a cultural tourism product that has not only come to complete the tourist offer but has also become a benchmark in the territory.
▪ For its implementation, the participation of public administrations is necessary, firstly to provide the necessary funds and, later, to obtain the quality mark that has been granted by the declaration of Asset of Cultural Interest.
Tags: Cultural heritage, Sustainable tourism
