Site Characterization of the Palencia Cathedral (Spain): Origin of Recurrent Phreatic Floods in the Crypt of San Antolín
Below the central nave of the Gothic Cathedral of Palencia (14th to 16th centuries) lies the Crypt of San Antolín, which represents the remains of a Visigothic building from the mid-7th century. The crypt itself has suffered recurrent episodes of flooding over the centuries. However, the latest floo...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Mariano Yenes Puy Ayarza Yolanda Sánchez-Sánchez Javier Elez Imma Palomeras Soledad García-Morales Javier Ayarza Laura Yenes Alberto Santamaría-Barragán Esther Rodríguez-Jiménez Laura Llera Juan Gómez-Barreiro |
| author_facet | Mariano Yenes Puy Ayarza Yolanda Sánchez-Sánchez Javier Elez Imma Palomeras Soledad García-Morales Javier Ayarza Laura Yenes Alberto Santamaría-Barragán Esther Rodríguez-Jiménez Laura Llera Juan Gómez-Barreiro |
| author_sort | Mariano Yenes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Below the central nave of the Gothic Cathedral of Palencia (14th to 16th centuries) lies the Crypt of San Antolín, which represents the remains of a Visigothic building from the mid-7th century. The crypt itself has suffered recurrent episodes of flooding over the centuries. However, the latest flooding, which began in mid-2021 and ended in mid-2023, is one of the most long-lasting episodes on the historical record. To establish the origin of these flooding episodes, the geological and hydrological properties of the subsoil have been determined by direct prospecting techniques (drilling) and indirect geophysical techniques (Electrical Resistivity Tomography). The prospecting has determined that the aquifer in the area has a basin-like geometry, which favors the accumulation of water below the crypt. This work has shown that the recurrent floods suffered by the crypt prior to 2021 are related to episodes of intense rainfall. However, after 2021, there is a direct relationship between the persistent flooding and the onset of landscaping at the Plaza de San Antolín, one of the squares near the cathedral. In addition, previous archaeological excavations carried out in 1965 in that same square had disrupted the stratigraphic column, easing the percolation of water. We conclude that the increase in landscaped areas in archaeological environments may modify the hydrogeological dynamics of the subsoil and affect the surrounding buildings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5cec975bdf564f319fce70077174e391 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2571-9408 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heritage |
| spelling | doaj-art-5cec975bdf564f319fce70077174e3912025-08-20T03:47:58ZengMDPI AGHeritage2571-94082025-05-018516910.3390/heritage8050169Site Characterization of the Palencia Cathedral (Spain): Origin of Recurrent Phreatic Floods in the Crypt of San AntolínMariano Yenes0Puy Ayarza1Yolanda Sánchez-Sánchez2Javier Elez3Imma Palomeras4Soledad García-Morales5Javier Ayarza6Laura Yenes7Alberto Santamaría-Barragán8Esther Rodríguez-Jiménez9Laura Llera10Juan Gómez-Barreiro11Departamento de Geología, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, SpainDepartamento de Geología, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, SpainDepartamento de Geología, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, SpainDepartamento de Geología, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, SpainGEO3BCN, CSIC, Lluís Solé Sabarís s/n, 08028 Barcelona, SpainDepartamento de Construcción y Tecnologías Arquitectónicas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartamento de Geología, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, SpainDepartamento de Física, Universidad de Burgos, 09001 Burgos, SpainCentro de Estudios y Experimentación de Obras Públicas (CEDEX), Laboratorio de Geotecnia, 28014 Madrid, SpainConfederación Hidrográfica del Duero, 37007 Salamanca, SpainAfesa Medio Ambiente, 48160 San Esteban Derio, SpainDepartamento de Geología, Universidad de Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, SpainBelow the central nave of the Gothic Cathedral of Palencia (14th to 16th centuries) lies the Crypt of San Antolín, which represents the remains of a Visigothic building from the mid-7th century. The crypt itself has suffered recurrent episodes of flooding over the centuries. However, the latest flooding, which began in mid-2021 and ended in mid-2023, is one of the most long-lasting episodes on the historical record. To establish the origin of these flooding episodes, the geological and hydrological properties of the subsoil have been determined by direct prospecting techniques (drilling) and indirect geophysical techniques (Electrical Resistivity Tomography). The prospecting has determined that the aquifer in the area has a basin-like geometry, which favors the accumulation of water below the crypt. This work has shown that the recurrent floods suffered by the crypt prior to 2021 are related to episodes of intense rainfall. However, after 2021, there is a direct relationship between the persistent flooding and the onset of landscaping at the Plaza de San Antolín, one of the squares near the cathedral. In addition, previous archaeological excavations carried out in 1965 in that same square had disrupted the stratigraphic column, easing the percolation of water. We conclude that the increase in landscaped areas in archaeological environments may modify the hydrogeological dynamics of the subsoil and affect the surrounding buildings.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/5/169cultural heritagesite characterizationphreatic floodsgeological-geotechnical prospectionselectrical resistivity tomography (ERT)archaeological test pits |
| spellingShingle | Mariano Yenes Puy Ayarza Yolanda Sánchez-Sánchez Javier Elez Imma Palomeras Soledad García-Morales Javier Ayarza Laura Yenes Alberto Santamaría-Barragán Esther Rodríguez-Jiménez Laura Llera Juan Gómez-Barreiro Site Characterization of the Palencia Cathedral (Spain): Origin of Recurrent Phreatic Floods in the Crypt of San Antolín Heritage cultural heritage site characterization phreatic floods geological-geotechnical prospections electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) archaeological test pits |
| title | Site Characterization of the Palencia Cathedral (Spain): Origin of Recurrent Phreatic Floods in the Crypt of San Antolín |
| title_full | Site Characterization of the Palencia Cathedral (Spain): Origin of Recurrent Phreatic Floods in the Crypt of San Antolín |
| title_fullStr | Site Characterization of the Palencia Cathedral (Spain): Origin of Recurrent Phreatic Floods in the Crypt of San Antolín |
| title_full_unstemmed | Site Characterization of the Palencia Cathedral (Spain): Origin of Recurrent Phreatic Floods in the Crypt of San Antolín |
| title_short | Site Characterization of the Palencia Cathedral (Spain): Origin of Recurrent Phreatic Floods in the Crypt of San Antolín |
| title_sort | site characterization of the palencia cathedral spain origin of recurrent phreatic floods in the crypt of san antolin |
| topic | cultural heritage site characterization phreatic floods geological-geotechnical prospections electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) archaeological test pits |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/5/169 |
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