The centennial column supporting the city’s emblem collapsed when some ropes were removed, damaging the symbolic bronze res.
Teruel exists and suffers for his Torico. In the forgotten Aragonese city, there are more misfortunes than joys. And the penultimate accident was the collapse of the column supporting the city’s emblem, the small bronze Torico, which collapsed early Sunday morning while work was being carried out in the area. There were no personal accidents and the material ones were not catastrophic, although the small bronzed bull was damaged in one of its horns and with all four legs broken.
The fluted column collapsed when four workers, one of whom climbed a basket, removed the metal ring to which the ropes of the 23 participating cities in the XVII National Congress of the Rope Bull, which the city hosted, were tied. Emma Buj, mayor of Teruel, explained that the collapse happened at 7 a.m., when the straps holding the ropes to the iconic centennial column, crowned with stars on the capital, were removed.
The iron connecting the two stone elements of the column supporting the Torico was rotten, according to Buj. The fracture caused the small carcass to fall from a height of seven meters. The collapse affected one of the bollards that surround the fountain on which the Torico stands, which has four bull-headed spouts at its base. Buj explained that the ropes were removed to allow the passage of the Corpus Christi procession, the celebration of which was moved from Thursday to Sunday.
“It was a ‘shock’ to see it on the ground, but we are going to restore it as soon as possible so that we can continue to enjoy our monument,” Buj said, comforting his bewildered compatriots. He guaranteed that the set will be repaired for the Fiestas de la Vaquilla in early July. The company responsible for the maintenance of the sculptural complex of the Torico, which stands in the middle of the square of the same name, started the restoration work yesterday. Buj admitted that the Torico was “perhaps” subjected to “too much stress” as the Teruel symbol is the center of several activities. It is used as a Christmas tree, it is the epicenter of sports celebrations and some fans tie their scarf to the column.
The primitive fountain dates from 1558, the year it replaced some cisterns from 1375. Located in the center of the town, the square around it was built in 1858 to replace an earlier one from the 16th century and is the work of Pierre Vedel, the engineer who was involved in the canalization of water in the city.
Teruel has been associated with the legend of the Torico since its inception. It tells how in the twelfth century, during the Reconquest, King Alfonso II conquered cities until he reached what is now Teruel. He ordered his troops to remain on the defensive while, with a few believers, he continued the battle in the mountains. His troops disobeyed him and, instead of being alert, followed a raging bull led by a star from the sky.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
