Sunday, November 9, 2008

San Xavier Mission - The Restoration

An earthquake in 1887 knocked down the mortuary wall and damaged parts of the church. Extensive repairs began in 1905. The next round of restoration followed years after a 1939 lightning strike hit the West Tower lantern.
An international team of conservators cleaned, removed over-painting, and repaired the interior painted and sculptural art. The Patronato continues the exterior preservation work begun in 1989. Its restoration team is removing the earlier coating of cement plaster, repairing the historic brick beneath, and re-finishing the exterior surface with a traditional lime plaster. The sooner the cement can be removed, the greater the amount of original fabric that can be preserved.

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