The Hoist of the Aerial Rigging of the Mystery of Elche

Abstract

In the town of Elche, during the 14th and 15th of August and without significant interruption since the last third of the XVth century, festivities are held in honor of its patron saint, the Virgin of the Assumption. This theatrical performance was declared IntangibleWorld Heritage in 2001. The representation of the final days, death, assumption into heaven and coronation of the Virgin Mary is the highlight of the performance that takes place inside the temple of the Basilica of Saint Mary. This representation, unique in the world, is performed in song after converting the whole of the interior of the temple into a huge stage, with its corresponding rigging fitted with composite machinery, a double hoist, which allows lowering and raising to a height of 27 m. The aerial devices are occupied by singers, sometimes as many as five, reaching a weight of up to 600 daN, and even the simultaneous maintenance of two of the devices in the air. The lifting machines installed have undergone various modifications over time. The last of these was undertaken by the architect, Marcos Evangelio, in 1760 and, except for maintenance repairs required over the years and, despite a fire at the church in February 1936, they remain in a similar state to how the architect designed them. Studying them allows us to assess the mechanical assembly in general as very primitive technology, but which, after being used and perfected over the centuries, has allowed it to reach a high degree of precision and efficiency. This paper shows the main mechanical characteristics of the hoist, which is 300 years old.