Chronology of Saving the Mint

Project Goals
hyperlink:

August 15, 2001

Ex-mayor’s resignation demanded over Mint scandal

The political opposition groups in Segovia City Hall have demanded the resignation as council member (Popular Party), of the ex-mayor, Ramon Escobar, for his responsibility in the delays in the Mint expropriation process, which will cost City Hall nearly 300 million pesetas in back interest charges (in addition to the 372 million for the expropriated building). They have also demanded the resignation of the current spokesman for that party, Jose Ignacio Garcia, for his complicity in the delays from 1992 to 1998. The opposition also calculated that the restoration project for the Mint will now cost more than 500 million pesetas than it would have back in 1990, when the irregularity in the process began.

August 6, 2001

Final expropriation price for Segovia Mint: 372 million pesetas

The judges of the Tribunal of Forced Expropriations of Segovia, today sent their final resolution to Segovia City Hall and the expropriated Mint owner. The judges, in session on July 26, 2001, decided the final price which City Hall will have to pay for the Mint complex: 372 million pesetas. The expropriated owner had submitted his valuation, for 1,866 million pesetas, on April 16, 1990; while City Hall waited until November 6, 1998 to submit its valuation, for 344 million, but based on a study prepared in 1992. Due to the enormous delay produced between these two dates, City Hall will have to pay the expropriated owner back interest charges to the tune of nearly 300 million pesetas.

July 25, 2001

Meetings with politicos

The President of the Association, Glenn Murray, met today with Javier Santamaría Herranz, Territorial Delegate of the Assembly of Castile and Leon. On July 12 a similar meeting was held with Manuel Junco, Delegate of the Central Government in Segovia. In both meetings, Murray made suggestions and requested a more effective coordination between the the Administrations which signed the Restoration Agreement back in April of 1998.

July 24, 2001

New article: Auction of mint buildings

A new article by Esperanza Casado Aguado describes the auction of the mint buildings in Segovia, Seville, Madrid and Jubia.

July 23, 2001

Spanish Royal Mint launches legal tender Segovia commemorative coins

The Madrid Mint has released the four coin series “commemorating the great restoration project for converting the Segovia Mint into a museum-workshop.” The legal tender coins are the last Spain will strike in pesetas, since all presses now strike only euros. The coins are being sold in coin shops, the Segovia Savings Bank, and through the Association’s website.

July 15, 2001

Large Visitor Turnout at Fourth Guided Mint Tour

The guided tours of the Segovia Mint building have turned out to be very popular with Segovians. Today’s visit, as with the previous three tours, was booked to capacity (40 visitors). Nearly all the visitors in these tours are people from Segovia, and all show a great interest for hearing about the history of the monument as well as about plans for the restoration project. The visitors also see for themselves the serious deterioration of the Mint buildings which they hear about in the media.

July 12, 2001

Students from the SEK University denounce the lack of conservation measures

A group of more than 30 students from the SEK University Summer Session signed a protest statement denouncing the lack of simple conservation measures at the Mint and suggested the immediate removal of the vegetation covering some buildings. The petition resulted from the general impression of all the students after visiting the Mint, with particular attention to the historic garden, in a course titled: “An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Garden: Architecture, Art and Environment.”

June 18, 2001

The Spanish National Mint asks about conservation measures

Information about emergency conservation measures being undertaken at the Segovia Mint was requested by the Spanish National Mint Foundation. The prepared report reveals that while approximately 85% of the tree removal work has been completed, only 30% of the vegetation on the walls of the buildings has been removed, and that no word has yet been heard by the Rivers Department regarding their responsibility for damage being caused by the river and vegetation along its banks.

June 12, 2001

Drawing contest winners announced

The Association has announced the 10 winners of the art contest held for students of the Eresma Primary School that visited the Mint. The top three places were each awarded a coin struck in Segovia and a coin catalog. The 10 best drawings are now posted on our web site. The Eresma Primary School was named honorary member of the Association for its efforts in promoting the Mint and numismatics among students and their parents.

June 1, 2001

The Senate answers again about the Segovia Mint

The Spanish Senate has responded to another question put forth by Senator Arturo González López (GS) about the delays in the restoration of the Segovia Mint. The reply explains that the restoration will cost 998.8 million pesetas (6,002,908.90 euros) and that the funding is awaiting the so called “Cultural 1%” (BOCG, Senado nº. ?, ?-?-01).

May 31, 2001

Large trees cut at the Mint

Several very large trees were cut and removed today from the Mint. The day-long operation required two enormous cranes and four mules to maneuver and lift the trees out of the central patio. The trees were seriously affecting the foundations of several buildings and invading the historic water canal.

May 28, 2001

Financing requested from the Plan for Tourist Excellence

The Spanish National Mint Foundation has proposed a series of measures to promote knowledge about the Segovia Mint and promote its tourist potential to be financed by the Tourist Excellence Plan of Segovia. The measures include an exposition, a congress, scale model of the buildings, guide-maps of the Mint, a scale model of a waterwheel, infrastructure to facilitate visits, etc.

May 22, 2001

The Association requests registry of the declaration of National Monument

Citing various laws, the Association has requested the Assembly of Castille and Leon to duly register the declaration of National Monument for the Mint (2000) in the General Registry of Property in Segovia and in a similar National Registry.

May 21, 2001

Biweekley guided Mint tours

The Association and Segovia City Hall have signed an agreement to sponsor free guided visits to the Mint building on the first and third Sunday of every month. The visits begin at 12 o’clock noon. Visitors must sign up in advance for the guided tour: visits@segoviamint.org

May 14, 2001

Eresma Primary School visits the Mint

A group of nearly 100 fifth and sixth grade students of the Eresma Primary School in Segovia visited the Mint and later heard a talk about the history of the building with projection of slides. The parents of the students also had their own visit to the Mint and heard a similar talk on May 17. An artistic drawing contest was announced for the children in which they were challenged to draw an interpretation of what they learned about the Mint.

May 11, 2001

Two new investigations opened by the Public Defender

Citing delays in urgent maintenance measures needed for the most basic conservation of the Mint, the Association has requested the Public Defender to investigate two new cases. One of the investigations will study the delay in the pronouncement of the final price to be paid by City Hall for the Mint, held up in the Provincial Expropriations Tribunal. The other case concerns the total lack of response by the Department of Rivers regarding its responsibility for damage being caused due to flooding and the abundant vegetation climbing the walls of the buildings. This flooding and vegetation is invading the mint buildings from the river’s edge.

May 11, 2001

The new President of Castille and Leon reiterates his support for the Mint

Juan Vicente Herrera, new President of the Assembly of Castille and Leon, reiterated the support of this institution for the restoration of the Mint. “A substantial program exists, signed by several administrations, for financing the restoration of the building”, he said while visiting Segovia, referring to the interministerial agreement of April, 1998.

April 26, 2001

Photographic report on damages to the Mint caused by the river

The Association has mailed a secondary report to the same 100 people and institutions as before, this time with photographs and details on the damage caused to the Mint by the lack of maintenance in the zone of responsibility corresponding to the Department of Rivers.

April 16, 2001

Report on the destruction of the Mint

The Association has sent an extensive information packet, illustrated with abundant photographs, to more than 100 persons and institutions including the local, regional and national press. The mailing was designed to inspire greater coordination between the different administrations and as a measure to update experts, professionals, and the general public as to the destruction occurring at the Mint.

March 30, 2001

EuroMint meeting in Oporto, Portugal

Representatives from Segovia and Kutná Hora attended a meeting in Oporto in which the develpoment of the projected website was discussed.

March 27, 2001

Alarm sounded about flooding and deterioration of Mint buildings

The Association has launched a major campaign to alert authorities and the public in general about the serious consequences being caused by the lack of maintenance of the Mint buildings and grounds caused primarily by the flooding of the lower patio and the abundant overgrowth of vegetation which climbs the walls of many of the buildings.

March 26, 2001

Legal tender coins to commemorate the Mint restoration project

The Spanish Ministry of the Treasury has ordered the striking of a series of four legal tender coins to “commemorate the great rehabilitation project of the Segovia Mint building as a musem-workshop for the striking of medals.” The coins are to be struck in sizes and weights of the historic 8 escudo gold. The 2, 8 and 50 real silver pieces will have images of old Segovia coins on the obverse side and motifs relating to the Segovia Mint on the reverse according to Treasury Order 6824 (March 26, 2001).

March 21, 2001

The Public Defender will investigate lack of maintenance at the Mint

The Association has requested the Public Defender of Castille and Leon to open an investigation against City Hall for the lack of performing even the most basic maintenance and conservation measures at the Mint. Then to order the immediate removal of vegetation which is seriously affecting the buildings.

March 19, 2001

Mint flooding denounced at the Territorial Commission for Patrimony

The Association has requested the Assembly of Castille and Leon to investigate the flooding at the Mint and to order measures for the immediate solution to the problem.

March 3, 2001

EuroMint Seminar in Segovia

The EuroMint teams from Spain, Portugal, and the Chech Republic took part in a seminar held in Segovia from February 28 through March 3. Various aspects of the Project were considered in the different sessions, primarily the web site which will be developed by the Segovia team.

Back to Restoration