Mediano’s Resurfaced Church: A tale of Spain’s Dam History

The Mediano Church, built in the 16th century, stands today as a reminder of the intricate relationship between human development and the environment in the Aragonese Pyrenees, Northern Spain. Submerged in 1969 for the construction of a reservoir during the Franco era, a symbol of progress at that time, the Mediano Church also represents the displacements and profound changes in people’s lives, as evidenced by the ecological fate that has marked this former village.

Last autumn’s rains eased the drought in the Pyrenees, filling reservoirs like those of Mediano and La Sotonera, and highlighting the region’s climatic volatility. However, the previous drought had left the Mediano Church completely exposed throughout the summer. The church’s full emergence not only underscores the increasing frequency and intensity of these droughts and their impact on water availability but also prompts deep reflection on the need to balance human ambitions with the resilience of our natural environment.