The Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta presents an exhibition in Algemesí on the Arab towers of La Ribera, digitised and printed in 3D by its Heritage Digitisation Department, Riberana.
The towers have been printed to scale in three dimensions and are on display in the Algemesí market, where the Riberaturisme regional office is located.
The exhibition includes 3D prints of the Tower of Antella, the Tower of Alèdua (Llombai), the Tower of Alfarb, the Tower of Ràcef (Almussafes), the Towers of Mussa and Plaça (Benifaió), the Castle of Montroi and the Tower of Coloms (Monastery of Santa Maria de la Murta, Alzira).
The event was attended by representatives from various town councils, including Marta Ortiz Martínez, Mayor of Benifaió, Antonio A. Carrascosa Rubio, Mayor of Montroi, and the president of the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta, Txema Peláez. He opened the event by highlighting that the digitisation work of Riberana “is an example of good practice at an international level”. “These towers are a symbol of our region and our history”. The president invited the local councils to host this exhibition: “We do not rule out the possibility of this exhibition reaching other municipalities”.
Pablo Rodríguez, professor at the Polytechnic University of Valencia in the Department of Graphic and Architectural Expression, then stated that the towers of La Ribera deserve this recognition and appreciation. “The towers are true survivors. These unique buildings marked the difference between life and death”, he explained. He also pointed out that the towers have had different uses over the centuries (converted into palaces, museums or town halls), although their purpose was defensive against Christian harassment.
Finally, Robert Muñoz, graphic documentalist for the ADD4D association and responsible for part of the technical work involved in the 3D digitisation of these towers, commented that “thanks to Riberana, we have managed to preserve our heritage using pioneering and cutting-edge techniques”. “These projects help us to recover our identity and enrich us all”.
Each of the different Arab towers on display has been declared a Site of Cultural Interest (BIC). The digitisation of the towers of La Ribera is a project of the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta in collaboration with GVA Turisme.
The Mancomunitat de municipis de la Ribera Alta offers a digital catalogue of the region’s heritage through Riberana. Using different formats such as virtual tours, 360-degree videos, panoramic and 360-degree photographs, and 3D models, it showcases the rich natural, archaeological, bibliographic, museum and intangible heritage of the municipalities of La Ribera. Riberana is the result of the participation of the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta in the Interreg Europe CD-ETA project.
The exhibition at the Torres de la Ribera can be visited from Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 2 pm, on the first floor of the Algemesí market building.
