The historical heritage of San Rafael will take a decisive step towards its conservation after the restoration of the annexes of the church of Sant Rafel de sa Creu, an intervention that will be possible through the collaboration agreement between the Consell Insular de Ibiza and the Bishopric of Ibiza.
The councilor of Culture, Education and Heritage, Sara Ramon, and the bishop of Ibiza, Vicent Ribas, have presented the improvement works that will allow the rehabilitation of the buildings attached to the temple, especially the old corrals, which currently have a very poor state of preservation.
The project includes the structural rehabilitation, the installation of new roofs and the recovery of the house of the cart of the dead, a unique element of the ecclesiastical heritage that will be restored and put in value. The aim is to preserve the traditional architecture, improve the landscape image of the environment and dignify a set of high historical and identity value for the people of Sant Rafel.
During the presentation, Sara Ramon stressed that the work of the Department of Culture, Education and Heritage has as its central axis “topreserve, disseminate and enhance the heritage of Ibiza“, both through direct actions and through grants and agreements with other institutions. In this sense, she stressed that the ecclesiastical heritage is one of the fundamental pillars of the historical legacy of the island, not only from an architectural point of view, but also from a landscape and cultural point of view, since the churches are visual references in the towns of Ibiza.
The councilor recalled that in 2024 the Consell allocated 1.46 million euros to the ecclesiastical heritage, with a significant contribution from the Sustainable Tourism Tax, which allowed major interventions in the Cathedral of Ibiza, such as the restoration of stained glass windows, choir, organ and presbytery. In 2025, part of the budget will continue to be used to complete these works and to carry out actions in various parishes on the island, including Sant Rafel.
The restoration of the annexes of the church of San Rafael is included in the collaboration agreement for 2025, through which the Consell Insular de Ibiza contributes 460,000 euros for different actions for the conservation of the ecclesiastical heritage. The agreement also includes the restoration of the Cathedral and a museum project, with a budget of 63,343.50 euros, aimed at explaining the system of defensive towers of the island and facilitating the visit to the tower of Sant Antoni.
In the specific case of Sant Rafel, the Consell will invest 150,000 euros, of which 33,000 euros will go to the drafting of the project and 112,000 euros to the execution of the works. This investment will allow the recovery of about 100 square meters of annexed buildings, significantly improving the condition of the complex and its heritage value.
Ramon remarked that these actions respond to the will of the Consell to invest in the protection of heritage as a key element of the identity of Ibiza, but also as an essential part of its cultural and tourist offer, which must be “cared for, preserved and dignified“.
For his part, Bishop Vicent Ribas thanked the institutional collaboration and stressed the importance of joining forces to ensure the conservation of ecclesiastical property, which is an inseparable part of the historical and cultural heritage of Eivissa and its legacy for future generations.
