Around 120 students from the University of Seville are participating in two projects about the Utrera Synagogue: a flamenco centre and a digital twin of the medieval complex. The work is part of the agreement approved in July with the Town Hall.
The Utrera Synagogue has become a study space for students from the University of Seville. The first groups have already visited the site to learn about its history and architecture before starting to develop the projects outlined in the collaboration agreement with the Town Hall of Utrera, approved last July.
So far, two groups consisting of around 60 students have visited the building, with another 60 students expected to join in the coming days. In total, approximately 120 students will participate in this first phase of work on the synagogue complex.
The agreement between both institutions aims to study, research, document, conserve, interpret, and enhance the historical, cultural, archaeological, architectural, urban, and documentary heritage of Utrera. The Synagogue is the first site on which this collaboration is being developed.
During the initial visits, students have learned about the historical and architectural evolution of the building, a preliminary work that will serve as a foundation for two distinct projects.
One line of work proposes the creation of a flamenco centre in this space, taking as a starting point the value of flamenco as part of the intangible cultural heritage and identity of Utrera. The students will develop a proposal to preserve, research, transmit, and disseminate the flamenco legacy of Utrera.
The proposal will include various spaces and uses, including a flamenco hall, a flamenco school, and a research and documentation centre for Flamenco, as well as other necessary facilities and common areas for the operation of the complex. This work will allow for the exploration of the building's possibilities from an architectural and functional perspective, combining new uses with the historical uniqueness and heritage values of the site.
The second line of work stands out for creating a pilot case for learning and research in digital twins applied to historical heritage, focused on the Synagogue, considered one of the most significant medieval synagogue complexes preserved in the Iberian Peninsula.
Students and researchers from the University of Seville will work on the site developing an advanced digital model that will serve as a tool for research, conservation, and dissemination. The goal is to turn a complex historical archaeological and architectural finding into a system capable of integrating geometric, historical, archaeological, documentary, and architectural information, also incorporating the various existing scientific hypotheses about its evolution.
Unlike a conventional three-dimensional reconstruction, this model will not provide a single definitive image of the building. It will allow for visualising and switching between the current state of the building, the different interpreted historical phases, the documented archaeological evidence, and those hypotheses that remain open to future research and excavation campaigns.
In this way, the digital twin can evolve as scientific knowledge about the Synagogue advances, becoming a dynamic tool for its research and dissemination.
The agreement between the Town Hall of Utrera and the University of Seville will continue to develop in the coming months with the incorporation of the second group of students and the progress of the two projects.
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