Los Baños del Naranjo reopen with an exhibition by Luis Cruz

The Baños Árabes del Naranjo are open again. They reopen after a preventive conservation intervention that cost 24.000 euros and that has served to halt the deterioration the complex was suffering, according to the Ayuntamiento de Jaén. The problem was damp. Restoration technicians detected that it came mainly from leaks in the homes located above the site, and that it had caused the appearance of salts on the walls and the loss of cohesion of some materials. The work has sought to prevent that damage from compromising the stability of the heritage elements. The intervention has included a general cleaning of walls, floors and vaults, with non-aggressive methods to remove dust, dirt and other residues. Volumes at risk of falling or moving have also been consolidated and fixed, with lime mortars and selected aggregates, seeking to integrate the added material with the original materials. On the most damaged surfaces, with disintegration or sanding, consolidating products adapted to each material and to the degree of damp have been applied.

The reopening comes with an exhibition. The space hosts the «Retrospectiva de acuarelas y óleos» by the Jaén painter Luis Cruz, which can be visited until January 5. The exhibition brings together 47 works:

The collection spans more than six decades of the artist's career, from his youth to his maturity, with landscapes, urban spaces and corners of Jaén that are part of his work. The councillor for Culture, Tourism, Fiestas and Historical Heritage, María Espejo, has thanked the artist for the opportunity to bring his pictorial output closer to the public and has invited the public to visit the exhibition. At the reopening she was accompanied by the councillor for Heritage, José María Cano.