Restored 1783 carpet goes on display in Murcia Cathedral

An 18th-century carpet restored at the Real Fábrica de Tapices (Royal Tapestry Factory) in Madrid goes on display today at Murcia Cathedral, in southeastern Spain. The rococo piece measures almost 14 meters long and five meters wide and is decorated with flowers and fruit on a pink ground. It reflects the sumptuousness of the cathedral's liturgy at its most solemn moments, such as Holy Week. It can be seen in the trascoro, the space behind the choir, over the coming weeks.

Francisco José Alegría Ruiz, the episcopal delegate for cultural heritage, said the carpet had spent years stored in one of the cathedral sacristies and needed urgent work. Parts of it were missing and it required a deep cleaning before it could go on display. "It is the responsibility of the cathedral chapter to conserve and pass on the heritage in the best condition," Alegría Ruiz said. He warned that the deterioration had reached the point where a unique object of great heritage value could be lost.

The carpet belongs to a set the cathedral chapter commissioned from the Real Fábrica de Cuenca in the 18th century. This one dates from 1783 and is the only piece of the group that survives. The other two, made for the high altar and the choir, were destroyed in a fire in the 19th century. The carpet used for the altar of repose on Holy Thursday remained in good condition because it was brought out only for that feast, which limited its exposure to the elements.

The Cathedral Museum has also scheduled several talks on the history and artistry of the piece.