Celebrate a Spanish Catholic tradition in Jerez, Spain, with the “Brotherhood” exhibition

Easter festivities take many forms across all four corners of the globe. Catholic countries, in particular, put on some of the world’s biggest public displays during this period, and Spain is no exception.

Jerez de la Frontera (better known simply as Jerez) is a city in southern Spain's Andalusia region with origins dating back to the 11th century. It boasts many cultural attractions, such as the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, a famed riding school sought out by professional riders across the globe. It’s also home to the Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix and is the world’s sherry capital.

Horses, motorbikes, and wine aren’t its only points of interest, though. This city has a rich religious history, and it’s dotted extensively with stunning cathedrals and other holy buildings. Jerez has hosted Easter celebrations for centuries, most notably the Holy Week, which commemorates the Passion of Jesus Christ (also known as the Crucifixion). Catholic Brotherhoods from all over the area gather to perform penance processions on the streets during the last week of Lent, a period of 40 days that Christians observe in remembrance of the time Jesus Christ spent fasting in the desert, according to the New Testament.

We sat down with Ignacio Virués de Segovia Morión, CEO of Iberescan3D, to chat a little about the Brotherhood’s religious festivities and why he chose to digitally capture them.

What inspired the 3D capture of this space?

All events in Spain were canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic. The largest and most notable event that didn’t take place was Easter. Easter in Spain is a huge tourist attraction, and this religious holiday is significant in our culture. 

You’ll see the Brotherhood leading public events, such as processions that display statues of religious figures. Spanish Easter is a blend of centuries of religious traditions and local village customs, and every Brotherhood has a rich and valuable cultural heritage.

Given that it was impossible to publicly celebrate Easter during the pandemic, the Brotherhood Union, Jerez City Hall, and Cajasol Foundation organized an exhibition called “Brotherhood: The Footprint of Time in Jerez.” The organizations collected the Brotherhood’s most important artwork, some of which are more than five centuries old.

The display allowed people to admire the art in detail, safely from their homes. Once we realized the exhibition's popularity and impact, we decided to make it available to the rest of the world. In this way, we could show everyone our traditions and cultures.

What are the “must-sees” you want visitors to explore and why?

It’s quite difficult to choose just one or a handful of items of interest from the numerous priceless artworks in the collection. But, if we had to pick, we’d select the sculpture room, the embroidery room, and the pallium (a religious article of clothing worn by clergymen) gallery. There, visitors can enjoy pieces made in the 18th century and even some artworks made before that.

What’s the one thing you want visitors to take away after exploring your 3D tour?

We’d like guests to finish the virtual tour with a little understanding and knowledge of our culture, art, and heritage. We hope our videos, pictures, and links to other websites can serve as inspiration for artists worldwide.

What are the benefits of Matterport digital twins?

This gorgeous digital tool enables people to take their culture and heritage out into the world, which makes it possible for others to look at things they’ve never seen before, all without needing to travel.

Do you have any plans to capture more 3D experiences?

We’re currently collaborating with local government and culture and tourism agencies on a few projects to highlight places of public interest that we hope will enable “tourists” to enjoy and experience without leaving their countries.

Anything else you would like to add?

We just want to thank Matterport for sharing this project and helping to put this project — and our culture — on the global map.