The altar baldachin | Rafael Rumoroso - Universidad Laboral Gijón

We present another of the unexecuted elements, one that was clearly defined by Luis Moya.

The designs, which were unknown, were located in the archive of the Escuela Superior de Arquitectura ETSAM in Madrid

THE BALDACHIN THAT WAS NEVER BUILT

DETAIL OF THE DESIGN OF THE ENSEMBLE, WITH A TOTAL HEIGHT OF 18.30 METRES

THE BASE OF THE COLUMNS MEASURES 0.75 METRES, THE COLUMNS 9.15 METRES AND THE BALDACHIN 8.40 METRES.

IT WAS KNOWN THAT THE ARCHITECT LUIS MOYA HAD PLANNED A BALDACHIN FOR THE CHURCH OF THE UNIVERSIDAD LABORAL, BUT THE INTENDED DESIGN WAS UNKNOWN. RESEARCHING IN THE ARCHIVE OF THE LIBRARY OF THE ESCUELA DE ARQUITECTURA DE MADRID, WE FINALLY MANAGED TO DISCOVER WHICH ONE WAS INTENDED FOR THE CHURCH AT GIJÓN, WHEN WE REALISED THAT THIS ORIGINAL WE PRESENT HAD BEEN WRONGLY FILED AS THE DESIGN FOR THE CHAPEL OF THE ESCOLASTICADO DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DEL PILAR IN CARABANCHEL, WHICH IS WHY IT HAD GONE UNNOTICED BY SCHOLARS OF THE LABORAL.

AS REGARDS THE BALDACHIN, IT SHOULD BE MADE CLEAR THAT IT WAS ULTIMATELY NOT INSTALLED ON THE 4 COLUMNS AS PLANNED, BECAUSE OF THE HALTING OF THE WORKS IN 1957 DECREED BY THE NEW MINISTER OF LABOUR, AS WAS ALSO THE CASE WITH THE INTERIOR DECORATION OF THE CHURCH.

IT IS WORTH CLARIFYING THIS MATTER, SINCE TO THIS DAY THERE IS A POPULAR BELIEF THAT THE BALDACHIN WAS NOT BUILT BECAUSE ITS TOTAL HEIGHT EXCEEDED THAT OF THE BALDACHIN OF SAINT PETER'S IN ROME, MADE BY LORENZO BERNINI BETWEEN 1624 AND 1633.

IT SHOULD BE POINTED OUT THAT BERNINI'S IS 28.50 METRES HIGH, WHEREAS THE ENSEMBLE DESIGNED BY LUIS MOYA FOR THE UNIVERSIDAD LABORAL, FROM THE BASE OF THE ALTAR AND INCLUDING THE COLUMNS AND THE BALDACHIN ITSELF, IS 18.30 METRES. NEVERTHELESS, TO THIS DAY SOME TOUR GUIDES CONTINUE TO TELL GROUPS OF VISITORS THAT IT WAS TALLER THAN THE ONE IN ROME.

IT IS REGRETTABLE THAT IN 2025 THIS KIND OF INFORMATION IS STILL BEING GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC.

MONTAGE MADE ON TWO INTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE 1970s AND 1980s, SHOWING THE POSSIBLE FINAL RESULT THAT THE ARCHITECT LUIS MOYA WAS PROBABLY SEEKING.