A major international restoration company has praised the Saudi government for protecting the country’s “rich” heritage sites.
Adolfo Sanches, chairman of the Spanish IH Restoration Group (IHRG), said the work carried out at heritage sites in this country was important on a global level. The firm is currently tackling several restoration projects in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.
He said that the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) was doing a good job to ensure future generations can see how their ancestors lived. “Saudi Arabia has a rich heritage, which makes it a very important heritage area for civilizations around the world.”
“The role of SCTA led by Prince Sultan bin Salman is very impressive. We think it is particularly important at this moment, because there is a lot of pressure coming from real estate developers. There is a major risk here arising from the loss of heritage and historical landmarks,” Sanches said.
He said his firm was not just interested in making money. “We work from the heart. For us, heritage is the most important consideration. This is the reason why we’re here in Saudi Arabia. It is not only to do business,” he sid.
IHRG, which has more than 60 years experience in the field, was created from the union of four family businesses and includes a well-known consultant Gassan Al-Khouri, Sanches said.
“We have a multidisciplinary team prepared to manage, supervise and develop all stages of the restoration process, and applying internationally comparable procedures and criteria, in accordance with the Charter for Restoration, Sanches said.
He said the Spanish government has given IHRG its highest rating. “Our staff offers the highest level of professionalism and consists of architects, restorers, archaeologists, engineers and historians. They are highly qualified and have extensive work experience.”
He said several of the company’s technicians chair committees at UNESCO.
“Over the past 30 years, we have executed around 19,000 projects valued at approximately EUR570 million. In Spain alone, we have restored 25 castles and palaces, which include some of the most important archaeological landmarks in the world.”
Sanches said he has visited the Kingdom several times and built a good relationship with Prince Sultan. “I have been here seven times. My first visit to Saudi Arabia was mainly to seek contacts with those responsible for heritage protection. Last year, we were involved in a project in Samhan.”
He said they are working on the remaining part of the Samhan district development project in the historical Dir’iyah area, near Riyadh, and converting 42 traditional houses into a luxury heritage hotel.
“A big part of the quarter was torn down 40 years ago. Our work will respect the spirit of the old building and keep all the walls of the old houses intact. We have been cleaning the whole quarter manually. The main objective is not to destroy anything. Everything will be carefully handled and, most importantly, we have been documenting everything that we have done or have come across during our work.”
