Salamanca Cathedral has opened a striking immersive audiovisual installation combining large-scale video mapping, lighting and spatial audio as part of an engaging exhibition programme. Titled ‘Casa/Refugio/Protección para todos’ (‘Home/Shelter/Protection for All’), the experience transforms the cathedral’s vaulted architecture into a dynamic narrative environment for attendees to enjoy in Spain’s Golden City.
Set within the rarely accessed space above the nave of the 16th century New Cathedral, the project posed a series of technical challenges. The installation spanned a long, arched space which required projections on opposing sides of the structure to create a fully immersive visual narrative. Six high brightness projectors arranged in two banks of three were specified to create seamless, edge blended imagery across the high-resolution 3600 × 3840-pixel projection canvas: the historic stone surfaces. Absolute synchronisation and pixel accurate playback were essential, while all equipment needed to operate discreetly and reliably within a protected heritage setting, despite fluctuating temperature and humidity levels.
To meet these requirements, two Datapath Fx4 video wall controllers were selected as the central video distribution platform. Receiving high resolution content from a Touch Designer based media server, the Fx4 units split and distribute video across all six projector outputs with frame accurate precision, ensuring image consistency across the full projection canvas.
The Fx4’s flexible output configuration enabled the creation of two continuous projection surfaces, while its proven reliability supported the installation’s autonomous daily operation. The system runs on a programmed schedule with automated startup and shutdown and supports motion-triggered daytime playback as well as manually controlled guided presentations in the evening. Working within the Touch Designer environment, the Fx4 allows real-time content control and synchronization with DMX controlled lighting and a spatial 4.1 audio system, delivering a fully immersive visitor experience.
Since launch, the ‘Home/Shelter/Protection for All’ installation has been operating successfully as part of the IERONIMUS multimedia exhibition programme, welcoming thousands of visitors and offering a unique perspective on Salamanca Cathedral’s architecture. By combining creative technology with careful technical design, the project demonstrates how modern video systems can enhance cultural heritage spaces without compromising their integrity.
“Delivering an installation of this scale inside a historic cathedral required absolute confidence in the video infrastructure,” says Markus Schroll (Esther Pizarro Studio), Technical Director on the project. “With multiple projectors, high‑resolution content and a challenging heritage environment, reliability and precision were critical. Datapath’s Fx4 gave us the control and stability we needed to manage complex video distribution seamlessly, allowing the creative and architectural details of the space to take centre stage.”
“We’re extremely proud to have been involved in a project of this cultural and historical significance,” says Carmen Jerez, Regional Sales Manager at Datapath. “Working within a landmark such as Salamanca Cathedral is both a privilege and a responsibility, and it’s rewarding to see our technology supporting an installation that enhances the visitor experience while respecting the integrity of the space.”
