Dec 01 - Author Manolo Galliano Speaks To YGTV About His New Book
While sitting at the Convent, the location for his latest book, Manolo Galliano spoke to YGTV about The Franciscan Monastery of Gibraltar, From House of Prayer to Seat of Power.
The book forms part of a series of books looking at Gibraltar’s churches and monasteries and places of prayer and was released earlier this month.
Mr Galliano, a trustee with the Gibraltar Heritage Trust, decided to focus his research on Gibraltar’s lost churches, sifting through books, manuscripts, archives and the internet to assimilate the information, and separating fact from fiction.
He said: “I thought about writing a book on the history of Gibraltar’s churches because there’s hardly any information.
“It became so unwieldy that I thought it better to subdivided into different sections, and it’s become a series of four books.
“This is not only a book about the history, but it’s also a book on the comings and goings of people who lived here or passed by, such as Heads of State, or King Juan Carlos’ father who had to escape from the Republic in Spain, it’s a whole lot of things.”
There is also a focus on the numerous changes made to the Convent building over the past 300 years, together with details on the recent re-discovery of the 16th Century Franciscan frescoes.
Mr Galliano’s next book is ready to publish next year and focuses on monasteries in Gibraltar, and his last book will focus on the lost churches of Gibraltar.
When asked what it was that inspired the research for this series of books, Mr Galliano said: “I am 70 now, but I’ve always had an interest in history and heritage and I was Director of Culture at one time, so this is something that is inbuilt in me.”
The books are available to purchase from the Gibraltar Bookshop and the Gibraltar Heritage Shop for £15.50, and Trustee members will receive a special discount.
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