Restoration analysis of the Santa Lucia church of San Sebastián, Retalhuleu and revitalization of the immediate environment

Abstract

The Church of Santa Lucía de San Sebastián Retalhuleu, Guatemala is abandoned, receiving the inclement weather, with serious damage caused by different factors, among which are the lack of maintenance over time, in addition to telluric events that have increased the deterioration, being the one of June 17, 2017 the last one that seriously damaged the vestiges of the main façade, causing the wall of this to collapse, the plasters that still existed, and exposing the original masonry.  Another latent problem is the different interventions that have been made, which have replaced original materials, by contemporary materials, without any appropriate standards.  The spatial operation for which the building was designed has ceased to meet its original needs. Its general history states that the uses that have been given over time have been different, being in the early nineteenth century, first hermitage, to protect the image of Santa Lucia, ordered to be built by Lord Cristóbal Cochajil; to be later a church. In addition, there are other varied uses, from a cellar for materials, a meeting room for parishioners and various Catholic organizations, and currently abandoned in its entirety, which has caused the necessary modifications to be made so that this can work, all lacking criteria that protect the originality of the building, and endangering the patrimonial value of it.