The cathedral of Santa María (Cuenca, Spain): Principal stone characterization and conservation status

Abstract

The Cathedral of Santa María of Cuenca is one of the earliest Gothic cathedrals in Spain. The stone used in its construction mostly came from a quarry (now abandoned) in Arcos de la Cantera. It is a white lacustrine limestone with two lithotypes coded as hard (H) and soft (S). The two have similar chemical compositions, but type H has minor quartz, which type S lacks. There is also a small difference in the chromaticity in type S with respect to type H. The pore size ranges from 0.1 to 1 μm for type H and from 0.1 to 20 μm for type S. The conservation status of this stone depends on the lithotype and on the location of the stone in the monument. Type S is the most heavily affected by honeycombing. Inside the Cathedral, there is also abundant salt efflorescence due to both absorption and porosity.