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suitable regarding the usefulness of this study as a tool. Therefore,
the production of this digital tool remains for a second phase. This
tool will allow us to add or change or adapt any part of the docu-
ment.
Basic principles of the layout
As imitation of this second phase, the design and layout of the pa-
per document has been considered through a language composed
by symbols and color codes, making it easier to read it, as if they
were direct links.
We can provide the reader with this easy reading by means of a
vertical colorful band at the far side of the page. There, they will be
able to find some basic information: the zone in which the object
is through some color codes, following the eight-sector zoning;
material(s) on which an intervention has been performed repre-
sented by some understandable symbols; and the type of interven-
tion suggested on the registered element, according to its conser-
vation state and the degree of knowledge about it. A plot plan will
be placed on the band drawn on the first page of every document
composing the inventory. Nevertheless, images have been given
absolute preference over planimetry in order to equip this study
with an important visual component.
Materials
We have used six symbols, representing the material(s) of which
the element in question is made. Those symbols are openwork-
texture outlines of easily-recognizable art objects. When it is con-
venient, those symbols will be highlighted. As many interventions
have been performed only on one material, this system allows the
reader to identify the element with the highlighted material —for
example, a tiling with a highlighted ceramic-material symbol. In
other cases where constructive elements are catalogued, such as
the façade of the
Apeadero
(document 3.1) or the cupola placed on
the
Palacio Gótico
(document 2.4), there is more than one mate-
rial on which an intervention should be performed. If this was the
case, the symbol of every material composing the object would be
highlighted. Those symbols are:
• A composite order capital to represent stone.
• A facing of plain tiles ending with a battlemented frieze stands
for ceramic material.
• The twelve-pointed star that decorates the inner dome of the
Salón de Embajadores2 symbolizes wood.
• A simplification of the sebka motif (diamond-shaped net)
found in the alfiz (moulding enclosing an arch) of the lateral
arches placed in the Almohade gallery of the Patio del Yeso
reproduces plasterwork.
• A fragment of Almohade baseboard works as mural painting
and facings. This fragment is also located in the Patio del Yeso,
specifically in the south area.3
• A simplification of one of the images taken in the archaeo-
logical dig carried out by Miguel Ángel Tabales in the Real
Alcázar stands for the interventions related with paramental
archaeology.
Integrated Project of Intervention
There are some areas or rooms that, because of the fact of being an
only and well-differentiated constructive enclosure and the fact of
needing intervention in every one of their elements, express the
need of making an Integrated Project of Intervention, it is to say, a
document which has primacy over the restoration project and gath-
ers the starting points for the intervention on an archaeological and
architectonical level, as well as with respect to conservation and res-
toration. As an example of this, we can find the
Sala de la Justicia
and
the
Patio del Yeso
(document 1.1) or the
Estanque de Mercurio
(docu-
ment 8.4) -figure 5. So was it mentioned in the appropriate docu-
ments —figure 6—.
Types of actions
While the selection of the documents that would be included in
the inventory was made, we had to set different sections in order
to organize the different types of performances to be made. After
considering several possibilities, we opted for summarizing as much
as possible. We finally got three divisions of these actions. They were
“Study”, “Intervention” and “Maintenance”.
• The section of “Study” would include the documents that prefer-
ably need to be analyzed and developed before intervention. The
main aimof this “Study” is to determine if restoration is necessary.
Should that be the case, this “Study” would also clarify what kind of
intervention has to be made, but without performing it.
• The section of “Intervention” gathers in a general way the ele-
ments that are in a poor or extremely-poor conservation state.
Of course, every intervention requires a previous study or a
restoration project. However, the purpose of this section is to
perform the intervention after the elaboration of this project,
whatever the reasons for doing it. Obviously, we should also
consider the possibility of not needing an intervention after the
study, but it would be more improbable.
• The section of “Maintenance” is undoubtedly reserved for the
already-restored elements that, at the time of writing the docu-
ment, needed some supervisory and control measures —figure
7. By including this third section, we have complied an essential
purpose of this work and the demands of the restorers. The
performed interventions, which are much more controlled and
documented since the nineties, always have to have a mainte-
nance plan. It will have to be rigorously followed.
The content. Textual part of the work
The intent of the Restoration Plan, which is to make this work
adaptable and easy to read, has enable us to make an elementary
outline that makes it possible to understand every document in the
inventory without looking at any other page included in this work.
The content is divided into five parts:
• Background, where a brief and general review is included in
order to place the element in question in its topographic and
historical context.
• Identification, including the principal characteristics of this element,
any previous intervention and some interesting information.
