Rediscover Traditional Gypsum: Territory, Traditional Architecture and Rediscovery of Traditional Gypsum

Abstract

In the region of La Segarra, in the province of Lleida (Spain), there is a geological formation of the Oligocene age, called the “Talavera Gypsum Formation”. The traditional buildings located in this area are built with this material, and its use ranges from ornamental elements to complex and structural construction systems. Within the traditional patrimony of the area, we can find in a generalized way the use of gypsum in defensive towers, churches, castles and private houses, among other patrimonial elements of the territory. In this article, some representative buildings of the area are analysed, indicating their geographical and geological location. Moreover, with the aim of obtaining a material suitable for future restoration of La Segarra region’s built heritage, and by extension, of all the heritage built using this material, a traditional gypsum furnace was built, the firing temperatures within the furnace were monitored during the firing process, and the product obtained was characterized by mineralogical.