The prominent side wall of the Casa Tapón, located in Alcalá de Henares's Plaza de los Santos Niños, has been transformed with a new artistic intervention. Following the removal of a Cervantes-themed mural, the facade, which houses the Youth Department, now displays a reproduction of the renowned 1565 view of the city drawn by Anton Van der Wyngaerde, considered the first graphic representation of the city.
The mayor of Alcalá de Henares, Judith Piquet, visited the final stages of work by local artist Manu Cardiel. The project, budgeted at 12,700 euros, is part of urban interventions linked to the square's renovation. Piquet championed the historical image choice as a symbol of the municipal commitment to recovering local heritage, calling it 'historic and iconic' and a recognition of local urban art.
Van der Wyngaerde's panorama, created by a Flemish painter in the service of Philip II, serves as a valuable documentary source for understanding the city during the Golden Age. It identifies both existing historical elements and those long gone, acting as a window into Alcalá's Renaissance period.
Manu Cardiel, an artist with numerous murals across the city, adapted the original work's longitudinal perspective to the wall's vertical surface. 'We wanted to prioritize the heritage context over my personal style prevailing,' he explained, opting for a visual language and color palette that complement the monumental surroundings.
The intervention included extensive surface preparation, involving scraping, application of fixatives, and a protective varnish to ensure greater durability and prevent the rapid deterioration experienced by the previous mural.
The mural's replacement has reignited controversy stemming from the removal of the prior artwork, a 'Brotherhood Mural' by Argentine artist Miguel Rep, created in 2011. Professor José Manuel Lucía Megías lamented the loss of this piece, considered part of the city's cultural and symbolic heritage and a symbol of the relationship with Azul, Argentina.
Judith Piquet downplayed the debate, asserting the legitimacy of the municipal action and noting that urban murals can be replaced. She stated the intervention aligns the facade with the square's new heritage context and ongoing urban regeneration projects, emphasizing that the brotherhood transcends the existence of a specific painting.
The Councilor for Historical Heritage, Vicente Pérez, added that the choice of Wyngaerde's panorama resulted from collaborative work between municipal technicians and the artist to achieve full integration with the monumental environment. He highlighted its educational value in visually presenting historical elements like the Archbishop's Palace and the Magistral Cathedral.
The mural's replacement reopens the discussion on preserving urban art, defining collective heritage, and determining decision-making authority over its permanence. Meanwhile, the Casa Tapón wall now displays the silhouette of 16th-century Alcalá.
