Seu’s friends


What is it?

The Association “Friends of the Seu of Manresa” watches over the conservation of the basilica and promotes its knowledge.

The  Basilica of Manresa is oficially included in the historical and artistical monuments catalogue of the Spain which envolves a considerable cost in terms of preservation, maintenance and restoration.

During the Civil War (1936-1939) the Seu suffered many damages. In 1940 (aproximatly), the works were administraed by the priest and the Committe of Constructions. This meant a great effort and the convenience of creating an association was realised. Therefor, an association was created with the aim of managing, promoting, preserving and applying for subventions to accomplish the aims proposed.

The official constitution of the Association took place on the 22nd of May 1971 with the statutes approval, ratified by the Civil Government. Afterwards the first Entity’s Committee of Direction was elected. The first statutes were updated in 1990, in order to adapt them to the legal normative, and in 2004.

Associative life and functioning

The association has about 300 members. The supreme parson organ of the association is the Members General Assambly that meets usually once a year and, when needed, a special meeting is arranged. The membership’s fee is personal and the amount and periodicity of payment is totaly up to each person.

The committee that directs the entity is currently formed by 15 people, all of them with vote and word.

On Febraury 25th 1999 the association obtained the condition of “Public Benefit” entity. This allows the members and collaborators to profit fiscal gains.

Report 2022

Memòria AASS 21

Report 2021

Report 2020

Report 2020

Report 2015

Report 2018

Report 2017

Conservation of the monument

Since its creation in 1971, the Friends of the Seu association has promoted several restoration works in fulfillment of its foundational mission of watching over the basilica collegiate restoration and preservation.

Current actions

In 2021, the Bishopric of Vic, the City Council of Manresa, the Diputació of Barcelona and the Department of Culture of the Generalitat have signed an agreement for the continuation of the restauration works of the Basilica which have a total cost of €380,000.

From this ammount, €200,000 are financed by the Department of Culture. The other three institutions subvencion the works with €60,000 each.

2021 works include the intervention on the module between buttresses 3 and 4, located in the ambulatory inside the apse, in particular on the second level buttress number 4 and the wall lock between buttresses 3 and 4, as well as the large window with its corresponding stained glass window.

In 2020, the restauration works included the south façade on the double boot arch corresponding to buttress number 10, the updating of the lightning rod and the arrangements of the wiring of the façade.

  • 1974: Renewal bells system
    Renewal of the bell system by mechanizing and automating its functioning and thus integrating it into a metallic structure located inside the tower.

    1980: New image of Alba’s Mother of God 
    Inauguration of the Basilica incumbent Mare de Déu de l’Alba new image after its regrettable destruction by a meant fire happened the year before.

    1981: Restoration of the Holy Trinity altarpiece and other repairing works
    Several works repairing the tower, the apse stone perimetral balustrade, some fallen, or about to fall, moldings and the restoration and protection of two elevated stained glasses at apse’s sector. Subventioned by the Ministry of Culture.

    The restoration of the Gabriel Guàrdia’s (1501) Santíssima Trinitat Gothic altarpiece. This work was entrusted to the Gudiol prestigious Barcelonan workshop.

    1982: Holy Spirit’s chapel covering, new façade’s terrace
    Renovation of the Santíssim chapel covering and waterproofing and paving of the Alexandre Soler’s new façade atrium terrace.

    The restoration of the altar-tabernacle of the Cossos Sants (Saint Bodies).

    1984: Restoration of Sant Pere’s screw
    Restoration of the so-called “cargol” de Sant Pere or winding stair at the apse to access the coverings. Subventioned by the Government of Catalonia.

    1990: Restoration of stained glass windows
    Restoration of two stained glasses, one of them promoted by the bank Caixa de Manresa in its 125 anniversary, and the other by the Canopy, the See Parish and the Amics de la Seu Association.

    1993: Restoration of the cloister
    Inauguration of the cloister sector: cloister intervention, beneath-cloister and the Favets chapel, with previous archaeological excavations. Work promoted by the Government of Catalonia.

    1994: Restoration of Santa Maria’s portal
    Restoration of the North Portal or Santa Maria’s portal. Work promoted by the Amics de la Seu Association and financed through a popular subscription campaign.

    1995: Rearrenging of the surroundings
    Rearrenging of all the surrounding area of the See. Work financed by the Direcció General d’Arquitectura i Habitatge.

    1996: Dolor’s Virgin Altar
    Installing the Verge dels Dolors altar from the Casa de la Caritat old church in a See’s radiating chapel. This work is by the 19th century Manresan sculptor Maties Padró.

    1998: “Save the Seu” campaign
    By the end of the year little mortar pieces and stones from the last basilica nave vault fell. First inspections and technical studies confirmed a critical situation, which was about to culminate in the “Salvem la Seu” (“Save the Seu”) campaign.

    1999: Scaffolding glass repair and restoration
    Urgent works to repair the imminent breaking of a cross arch from the last section of the nave, operating the vaults and adjacent coverings.

    The restoration of a lower stained glass at the Sant Esperit chapel. This was also the year in which our association obtained the declaration of “Public Benefit” (O.M., 25.02.99).

    2000: Apse’s intervention
    Urgent intervention at the apse to operate two archs that were broken in a structural way, and also had a big fissure. It took a chance to restore the big apse keystone.

    2001: Institutional agreement and director plan presentation
    Signing of the Collaboration Agreement between five organizations: Ministry of Culture, Government of Catalonia, County Council of Barcelona, City Council of Manresa and Bishopric of Vic. They compromised in aporting 250 millions of pts. during the 2001-2004 period.

    Presentation of the Director Plan of the whole monument restoration, made by the See curator architect Mr. Francesc Xavier Asarta.

    2002: Buttresses restoration
    Ending of the first phase of the works included in the signed agreement. They were about the restoration of three apse buttresses and their stone ornaments. Simultaneously, a section of the covering perimetral wall in a danger state of unfastening was restored.

    2003: Buttresses restoration and several room fittness
    Fulfillment of the restoration of a second phase of intervention in three buttresses of the apse and their stretches; also, the great upper stained glass of the Santa Maria portal and two buttresses.

    Adaptation of the reception, projection and warehouse rooms together with another buttress and its stretch of the Romanesque portal section.

    2004: Upper covering restoration
    The structure reinforcement and funding of the upper See covering. This was a difficult technical work in which the buttresses had to be reinforced by introducing a steel heart inside them dug into a level of 11 m. beneath the ground.

    2005: Buttresses restoration and Sant Antoni’s poral
    Restoration of two more buttresses with its corresponding stretches as well as the Sant Antoni Portal and the handrail and the stone perimetral corridor of the upper covering of the basilica.

    Construction of an access ramp for physically handicapped persons for accessing the basilica by the cloister door.

    2006: Rose window restoration. New institutional agreement
    Restoration of the big rose window at the west façade. Financed by a popular subscription campaign, which was started the year before and promoted by the Amics de la Seu association.

    Renewal of the Collaboration Agreement between institutions for four more years. This time only four institutions signed it; the Government of Catalonia, the County Council of Barcelona, the City Council of Manresa and the Bishopric of Vic.

    2007: First phase inside illumination
    The first phase inauguration of the basilica inside illumination project. In its 50% patronaged by the Endesa Foundation.

    2008: Baptist restoration and two abutments inauguration
    Within the framework of the institutional agreement, the Baptistery, its stained glass windows, and two adjacent abutments are being restored

    2009: Inauguration 2nd. phase of the interior lightning 
    With the support of Endesa Foundation, a new phase of the interior lighting project of the Seu is carried out. Friends of the Seu also contribute in order to complete the project.

    2010: Restauration of Gothic Room
    Continuing the restoration works promoted by institutional centers, the Gothic Room of the Seu was restaured.

    2011/13: Restauration of the main facade and buttress
    The newest part of the Seu was made in the early days of the last century and had to be restored again due to the low quality of the stone used. They were opened in early 2013 with the presence of  the President of the Generalitat, the President of the Diputació of Barcelona, ​​Vic’s Bishop, and the Mayor of Manresa.

    2012: Interior lighting
    The project for the interior exploitation of the Basilica was completed in 2012 with the sponsorship of Endesa Foundation and the collaboration of the Friends of the Seu.

    2014: Restoration of Canon Mulet’s tomb 
    After a severe fire that in the Seu’s cloister on the night of Santa Llúcia 2012, the alabaster tomb of Canon Mulet was severely damaged. It was rehabilitated by the CRBMC and moved inside the Basilica, next to the Baptist. The tomb is Baroque and made by Josep Sunyer in 1719. The funding was paid by the Parish and also by the Association Friends of the Seu.

    2014/18: Restoration of the south facade
    With several interruptions, the Restorative activity at the Seu continues with the contribution of Generalitat, Diputació, Bishop and City Council. The actions are focused on the south façade to the level of the lower roof.

    2019: Restoration of the south facade
    The actions consisted of the restoration of the double boot arch corresponding to the buttress number 9, the intervention on two roof modules of the north façade from the ambulatory to the bell tower and the installation of ground lines and ornamental lighting.

    2020: Restoration of the south facade
    Continuation of works on the south façade on the double boot arch corresponding to buttress number 10, the updating of the lightning rod and the arrangements of the wiring of the façade.

Make a donation

If you wish to make a donation for the restoration works promoted by the Friends of the Seu Association, you can do it in the  BBVA account: ES65 0182 3577 5702 0214 0261

The Association has the “Public Utility” declaration (OM 25-02-99) and for this reason your donation can benefit from a 25% tax deduction for Personal Income Tax (IRPF) .

If you make a donation and want to record it in your income statement, send an email to: info@seudemanresa.cat.

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