With their fingertips, Marina and Jose Pedro pored over a small-scale model of Barcelona's Sagrada Familia church in an exhibition which allows the blind to discover some of the world's best-known monuments.
"There are just so many tiny details! And what a strange roof," enthused Jose Pedro Gonzalez as he explored the wooden replica of Gaudi's spectacular basilica.
Marina Rojas said that she "never imagined the Sagrada Familia like that".
"It's very surprising, because you get a general idea of what the monument is like, what the space inside is like," she added.
The Madrid Typhlological Museum from the Greek tuphlos, meaning blind - houses 37 reproductions of global monuments that are listed as world heritage sites.
It was set up in 1992 by Once, Spain's powerful national organisation for the blind which has 71 000 members.
Made of wood, stone, metal or resin, the models are accessible to all visitors whether blind, sighted or partially sighted giving them a hands-on, sensory experience of the architecture.
"There's no other place in the world with a museum like this," said guide Mireia Rodriguez, who is herself visually impaired.
This story is from the August 08, 2024 edition of The Citizen.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 08, 2024 edition of The Citizen.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
CHIEFS' BIG TALENT
The new Amakhosi head coach is showing a willingness to start trusting in younger players.
Arsenal retain hunger
Mikel Arteta saluted Arsenal's hunger as the gritty Gunners ignored the absence of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard to clinch an \"ugly\" 1-0 win at bitter rivals Tottenham yesterday.
Piastri claims a tense Baku win
Oscar Piastri claimed an impressive second victory of his burgeoning career yesterday when he drove his McLaren to a well-judged triumph ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in a tense Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
No room for relaxing
Manqoba Mngqithi has issued a friendly warning to his dazzling array of Mamelodi Sundowns superstars that complacency will not be tolerated this season.
Austerity is wrong route
Belt-tightening means choosing not to invest in SA citizens.
Clear case for nuclear
Scientists, not lobbyists, must lead the conversation’.
This is how your interest rate is calculated
Economists expect that the South African Reserve Bank will cut the repo rate on Thursday, giving consumers a little more breathing room when it comes to their finances.
Saving for retirement at 50
South Africans become financially wiser as they get older, says expert.
Exploring the afterlife
The existential question that never bears an answer.
Scramble to help victims of floods
Hundreds killed in wake of Typhoon Yagi.