The town hall of Quintanar de la Orden has announced the third Heritage Days, scheduled for 12 to 16 November. The event will include a range of activities aimed at showcasing the town's historical, cultural, and artistic richness. The launch event featured the mayor, Pablo Nieto Toldos, along with the councillor for culture, M.ª Carmen Vallejo, the urban planning councillor, Juan Carlos Ortiz, and other municipal officials.
Vallejo highlighted that the Heritage Days provide an opportunity to celebrate and explore the local heritage that connects the residents of Quintanar with their roots and history. The programme will kick off on Thursday, 12 November, with a conference titled “La Mancha, Patrimonio, Arte y Cultura” led by Marciano Ortega Molina. The weekend will feature guided tours of the Convent of the Trinitarian Mothers, the municipal cemetery, and the town hall, as well as a tourist train tour of the town's murals.
Literary presentations will include works by José Matías Argumánez and Alejandro Prensa, alongside a conference by Iván Sánchez Mota, which will be complemented by a bell concert. The traditional 'gachas' day will take place at the Colón-Parque school. The event will conclude on Monday, 16 November, with the presentation of a Heritage Catalogue compiled by Zacarías López-Barrajón. The programme also includes school visits led by Isabel Villaseñor, the town's official chronicler, exhibitions, and 'Cervantine tapas' with wine, featuring participation from eight local hospitality establishments.
During the announcement, the town hall also revealed the restoration of the historic clock from the tower of the parish church. This project has successfully restored the clock's functionality, allowing its chimes to be heard again since last Easter. Urban planning councillor Juan Carlos Ortiz explained that, through an agreement with the Provincial Council of Toledo, a new Roman numeral face and a mechanism that marks the hours and quarters have been installed, reviving the characteristic sound of the bells.
The restoration included the refurbishment of the clock's old machinery, which had been out of use for years and was in a state of significant disrepair. The machinery was carefully dismantled piece by piece and manually lowered down the spiral staircase of the tower. The restoration work was carried out by Relojes López, while the base on which it stood was restored by the Hermanos Tirado.
Given the complexities involved in reinstalling the original machinery in the tower, it has been preserved and will be displayed in the town hall's foyer for the public to view. Mayor Pablo Nieto Toldos emphasised the importance of conserving and restoring local heritage, noting that while the clock is located in the parish tower, it is owned by the town hall. He also mentioned the reissue of an old historical brochure about the clock, found in the private archive of a former councillor, to help residents connect with its history.
Following the presentations, attendees moved to the town hall foyer, where Juan Carlos Ortiz provided a more detailed explanation of the restored machinery, showcasing some of its parts and the mechanisms that allowed it to function, as well as the technical challenges of reinstalling it in the tower. The restored machinery will now be available for residents and visitors as a new testament to Quintanar's historical heritage, aligning with the objectives of the Heritage Days to conserve, promote, and celebrate the town's history and identity.
