10.6092/issn.1973-9494/10669
Based on the model of the “escape room” game, the activity proposed in this paper centres on the historical site of one of the fiercest battles of the Spanish Civil War (February 1937). The battle site is in the area of Rivas-vaciamadrid, the focal point of the Francoist and Republican camps, which connected the centre of Madrid with one of the city’s most important logistics and military facilities, Alcalà de Henares. The study proposes a new way to use the site and, in particular, proposes a live game aimed at involving different types of participants, aligning it with their specific profiles, whether children, adults or scholars. Its main aim is to propose an activity for the sustainable valorization of this heritage and to raise awareness in participants about this significant piece of history as well as its preservation in the long-term. It should be kept in mind that “Los pueblos que desconocen su Historia están condenados a repetirla”, i.e. “Those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it”.The Rivas-vaciamadrid site is also a source of information and study regarding geological, natural and historical-artistic aspects. One example is the Porphyrio porphiyrio (western swamphen), present in the ecosystem of Rivas-vaciamadrid, which has a noteworthy past having been depicted in the mosaics of both the "Villa Romana del Casale" in Sicily and the Church of "San Vitale", in Ravenna, Italy as well as being reported in writings by Aristotle and Pliny the Elder.
application/pdf
1973-9494
10669
en
Maria Angeles Sanchez Martinez
Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage
natural environment
A New Educational Escape-Room-Based Model for the Sustainable Valorization and Management of Cultural and Natural Heritage
Text.Serial.Journal
https://conservation-science.unibo.it/
19
Articles
2020-03-18
2020-03-16
2020-03-18
2020-03-18
219-229
CSCH
Maria Angeles Sanchez Martinez
2019
10.6092/issn.1973-9494/10669
219
IES, Marketing y Turismo Alcalà de Henares, Madrid
1973-9494
natural environment
en
229
A New Educational Escape-Room-Based Model for the Sustainable Valorization and Management of Cultural and Natural Heritage
https://conservation-science.unibo.it/article/download/10669/10608
19
A      EW EDUCATIONAL ESCAPE-ROOM-BASED MODEL
      N
      FOR THE SUSTAINABLE VALORIZATION AND
      MANAGEMENT OF CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE

   Emanuele Palla*, Alejandro Gonzalez Lopez, David Gil Aviles, Maria Angeles
   Sanchez Martinez 1
   IES, Marketing y Turismo Alcalà de Henares, Madrid, España




   Keywords: Spanish civil war, history, memory, conservation, natural environment.


   1. Introduction

    Since 1950, tourism throughout the world has changed considerably thanks to im-
provements in transport, conservation, working conditions and the cultural use and
enjoyment of historic sites. Previously, it was only the well-off who travelled due to the
expense it entailed, but from 1970 to the beginning of 2000, the number of tourists has
constantly grown, as travelling has become increasingly more affordable and more
popular (Figure 1). As a result of the increase in people travelling for tourism, countries,
cities, towns, districts and tourist sites and attractions have adapted themselves to the
needs of the local people and visitors [1].
    Tourism produces diverse positive effects when people are able to spend a short
period of time away from home. It can improve the quality of life of the local people, it
generates employment and the circulation of money that induces regional and national
governments to create new jobs and professions in other sectors and ultimately con-
tributes to economic growth. Nevertheless, as well as the positive effects, there are
negative ones to be taken into consideration. In fact, one of the big problems of tourism
is that it leads to an increase in pollution, which in turn leads to other negative effects
in the field of culture, politics and the natural environment, etc. [2].
    Firstly, in speaking of cultural problems relating to tourism, trouble often arises be-
tween the local community and tourists, because visitors are not always welcome in
the place they choose to spend their holidays. This is because, sometimes, life is more
expensive for the locals and rents can rise noticeably, inevitably resulting in a general
increase in the cost of living.
    Just as the many interests relating to tourism can influence the socio-economic
aspects of a nation, so can its local and national politics impact the sector. Politicians
and all key players therefore represent an essential reference point in the development
of leisure activities.
    In the last ten years, terrorist attacks have unfortunately transformed safety and se-
curity measures throughout the world, with some states building walls and establishing


*1 Corresponding author: pallaemanu@gmail.com
                                                                                                              tighter limits between countries and even introducing special squads to make checks
                                                                                                              in certain high-risk areas.
                                                                                                                 As regards the environmental issue, it can be said that tourism and related hu-
                                                                                                              man activities have geo-morphologically changed cities, countries and neighbor-
E. Palla et al. - A new educational escape-room-based model for the sustainable valorization and management




                                                                                                              hoods. In fact, transport networks have been improved and highways built, but at
                                                                                                              the same time they have damaged natural environments, parks and rivers, and
                                                                                                              produced all kinds of pollution in the earth’s seas, oceans, soil and air. It is con-
                                                                                                              sequently necessary for cultural, political and environmental aspects to be con-
                                                                                                              sidered jointly, in order that the appropriate bodies intervene to regulate visitor
                                                                                                              traffic to sites, e.g. by limiting numbers, setting strict visiting times, and so define
                                                                                                              a suitable sustainable programme that embraces visitor enjoyment as well as the
                                                                                                              conservation of cultural resources [3].
                                                                                                                 In order to counteract the above-mentioned problems to some degree, a model of
                                                                                                              sustainable conservation was designed for the historic battlefield site of Jarama, situ-
                                                                                                              ated east of the city of Madrid, in Spain.




                                                                                                              Figure 1. Increase in tourism: global population from 1950 up to beginning of 2000 (source:
                                                                                                              Tourism Growth Forces)



                                                                                                                 2. The Battle of Jarama

                                                                                                                   In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, General Francisco Franco decided to attack
                                                                                                              an area in the south-east part of Madrid, Rivas-vaciamadrid, which was being defend-
                                                                                                              ed by the Republican side. The attack took place in the area between two rivers, the
                                                                                                              Jarama and the Manzanares. It was declared the first modern battle in Spain in which
                                                                                                              accomplished cavalry and infantry forces, tanks and aircraft were deployed [4]. Today,
                                                                                                              little has changed on the site overlooking the valley of Jarama, where the trenches and
                                                                                                              the bunkers used by both sides are almost intact, serving as a reminder of the past
                                                                                                              conflict. The only sign of the 21st century is Madrid gleaming in the far distance be-
                                                                                                              neath the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra de Guadarrama and the occasional vehicle
                                                                                                              that passes on the nearby road. Even today, the natural environment is well-preserved,
                                                                                                              the hills around the Jarama River abounding with the wild thyme and lavender that
                                                                                                              flourish in the surrounding olive groves [4].


                                                                                                        220
   This work presents a model which proposes a way to save this natural environment
and the cultural assets found on the site. To this end, an enterprise was instituted,
regulated by competent bodies whose aim is to protect and enhance the use of this
cultural site which contains artefacts from the Spanish Civil War, due to the fact that the
area lacks any adequate system for its conservation (Figure 2).




Figure 2. Geo-localization of the “Rivas-vaciamadrid” site (Google maps). The “Cerro de la Oliva”
trench: the area of activity is highlighted by the red dots.




                                                                                                          CONSERVATION SCIENCE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE
   3. The model

   The principle used in this work to illustrate the history of the cultural/natural/his-
torical site is based on an “Escape room” activity [5] – a game that has become viral
because it enables access to a large number of people from around the world and may
thus increase interest from both a social and environmental perspective.
   Another reason for this idea is to complement this particular natural space with lei-
sure activities to earn economic resources which can be re-invested in maintaining and
safeguarding the area. There is consequently, an expected economic return for both
the territory with the involvement of the interested territorial forces.


   3.1. Escape room activity

   The activity will be based on numerous discussions held between three people (who
will manage the site and participants) representing the three generals on the Republi-
can side: General Campesino, Lister and Gall.
   The activity consists of the following steps:


                                                                                                    221
                                                                                                                 Step 1. In this activity, at least 6 to a maximum of 10 participants will be directly in-
                                                                                                              volved in creating a team; they will be provided with a disposable uniform which plays
                                                                                                              a part in the reproduction of the battle (Figure 3).
E. Palla et al. - A new educational escape-room-based model for the sustainable valorization and management




                                                                                                                            Figure 3. Step 1: Starting activity: description of history and game.



                                                                                                                 Step 2. The second point of the activity is reached by following a defined path where
                                                                                                              there is a bunker. Here, the participants discover and solve a clue similar to that in
                                                                                                              an escape room activity. Even children can participate in this fun game: Fake Bomb
                                                                                                              (Figure 4).




                                                                                                                Figure 4. Step 2: Historic contextualization and description of the bunker; first clue solving.



                                                                                                                Step 3. In the third part, participants are instructed by the guide to bring out the fake
                                                                                                              bomb and transport it to a historical bridge. At this point they have to solve another clue
                                                                                                              which leads them to a safe they have to open; inside is important information (Figure 5).

                                                                                                        222
            Figure 5. Step 3: Arriving at the third point and solving the second clue.



   Step 4. This is a riddle in which participants must return to the third point to open the
safe using the barcode obtained at the fourth point, to gain strategic information about
the last moves made in the formation of Franco’s troops (Figure 6).




                                                                                                     CONSERVATION SCIENCE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE




       Figure 6. Step 4: Historic description and solving the third clue using a barcode.




                                                                                               223
                                                                                                                 Step 5. At this historical moment in time, the Republican side was in trouble be-
                                                                                                              cause they had suffered many losses and there was a shortage of supplies, so Fran-
                                                                                                              co’s troops had the upper hand. The three Republican generals, Lister, Gall and Camp-
                                                                                                              esino are informed of there being only a slight possibility of standing up to the large
E. Palla et al. - A new educational escape-room-based model for the sustainable valorization and management




                                                                                                              number of Nationalist troops and are forced to abandon the battlefield. The activity
                                                                                                              ends when the Republican troops retreat and lose the battle (Figure 7).




                                                                                                                                  Figure 7. Step 5: Retreat from battle; end of activity.



                                                                                                                 The conclusive part of the activity has the purpose of commemorating the fallen and
                                                                                                              those who sacrificed their lives fighting the dictatorship for “FREEDOM”.
                                                                                                                 The “escape-room-based” model described in Figures 3-7 is summarized in Figure 8.




                                                                                                                                  Figure 8. The “escape-room-based civil war” activity



                                                                                                        224
   4. Survey on potential target participants

    Today, there is no doubt that an integrated approach between research, conserva-
tive rigor, valorization and the application of technologies is required within the context
of innovation and should characterize the management of cultural and environmental
heritage; this model of possible change will have an important well-defined space in
tomorrow’s Smart cities.
    Therefore, to understand and, at the same time, catalyze and encourage the inter-
est of potential participants in the model described above, the study included a survey
in the form of a questionnaire, drawn up online. The questionnaire was put online at an
international level and was compiled by 44 potential participants from EU and non-EU
countries, namely, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Panama.
    The survey was performed at the beginning of this study, in order to understand par-
ticipants thoughts about the nature and the sustainability of this heritage and to identify
the potential target. Results are reported in Figure 9.




                                                                                                       CONSERVATION SCIENCE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE




    Figure 9. Survey results based on people’s interest and identification of potential target



   5. Value of Rivas-vaciamadrid as a natural site

    Rivas-vaciamadrid, as previously described, is not only a place of historical sig-
nificance and memories for its involvement in the Spanish civil war, it must also be
considered for its great eco-value as a natural heritage site. Indeed, the area is part

                                                                                                 225
                                                                                                              of the Lower Manzanares and Jarama Rivers Regional Park (Parque Regional del
                                                                                                              Sureste) and the point where the two rivers converge; it is a privileged territory ow-
                                                                                                              ing to its geology, stratigraphy, palaeontology and geomorphology. In the fertile land
                                                                                                              near the rivers, moreover, lies the area where the siliceous gravel deposits of the
E. Palla et al. - A new educational escape-room-based model for the sustainable valorization and management




                                                                                                              Sierra formed over millions of years ago. In the Miocene period, there was an evident
                                                                                                              change in the lithological characteristics of the materials, which was followed by the
                                                                                                              heterogeneous development of the rock surface during the Quaternary period. Today,
                                                                                                              these deposits constitute an important resource which is mined and then employed
                                                                                                              in the construction sector. The subsoil itself contains important palaeontological and
                                                                                                              archaeological evidence of the past, a real treasure for the region and especially for
                                                                                                              Madrid’s historical heritage.
                                                                                                                  In this context, water is an essential element in the lower valley of the Jarama. From
                                                                                                              the Tertiary age to the present day, the Jarama river and its tributaries (Manzanares,
                                                                                                              Henares and Tajuña) have favoured the flourishing of different varieties and species
                                                                                                              of flora and fauna.
                                                                                                                  In addition, several artificial and natural lakes have had a positive influence on the
                                                                                                              ecosystem, increasing its well-being and favouring the coexistence of more than 120
                                                                                                              different species of birds and different animal species [6-7]. The Mediterranean climate
                                                                                                              also contributes to the presence of many trees with dense foliage and the vegetation is
                                                                                                              considered to be peculiar to the Community of Madrid and the big open spaces provide
                                                                                                              a valuable natural environment for steppe birds in particular, to inhabit.
                                                                                                                  Although the area of the Sierra is surrounded by 16 municipalities with several in-
                                                                                                              dustries in constant expansion, there still exists a peculiar biodiversity, consisting of a
                                                                                                              large number of wild pine species and a variety of fauna, which includes foxes, snakes,
                                                                                                              eagles and rabbits [8].
                                                                                                                  To protect this valuable area, with its historic, cultural and natural heritage, in 1994
                                                                                                              the Spanish government established a law relating to the territory surrounding the Ja-
                                                                                                              rama and Manzanares rivers (ref. BOE-A-1994-19704).


                                                                                                                 6. Conclusions

                                                                                                                  The activity described in this study highlights one of the most ferocious battles in
                                                                                                              the history of the Spanish Civil War, fought in the area of Rivas-vaciamadrid in Febru-
                                                                                                              ary 1937. It was a strategic point for both sides due to its proximity to the A-3 highway
                                                                                                              that connected the Centre of Madrid to one of the most important military and strategic
                                                                                                              cities in this area, Alcalà de Henares [9-10].
                                                                                                                  The activity enables all kinds of participants – children, adults, scholars – to gain
                                                                                                              deeper knowledge of the history of the Spanish Civil War, based on an innovative way of
                                                                                                              using the historic site. The game has been tailored to support all kinds of participants and
                                                                                                              can be adapted to the specific user. It takes the form of an educational fun game aimed
                                                                                                              at teaching children the historical facts hands-on and raising awareness among adults.
                                                                                                                  It should be noted that for a long time, talking about the Civil War was prohibited,
                                                                                                              representing a taboo for local people. However, thanks to the current post-Francoist
                                                                                                              policy, implemented in recent decades, the situation has changed. Indeed, it is very
                                                                                                              important to know what happened in the past to avoid recurrences, as expressed in
                                                                                                              the sentence, “Los pueblos que desconocen su Historia están condenados a repetirla”
                                                                                                              (“Those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it”).


                                                                                                        226
    The Rivas-vaciamadrid site also contains a plethora of information concerning ge-
ological and natural aspects as well as historical-artistic features describing daily life
or leisure activities in ancient times. For example, the Porphyrio porphyrio,(western
swamphen), currently a bird species considered at risk, has a well-known past, and
is recognizable through the wonderful mosaics in the Villa Romana del Casale in
Piazza Armerina, Sicily (Italy) (Figure 10) and in the church of S. Vitale in Ravenna,
Italy [11]. In addition, Aristotle described this bird in great scientific detail in his His-
tory of Animals (4th century BC) and Pliny the Elder represented it his notes on natu-
ral history (1st century BC) [12].




                                                                                                        CONSERVATION SCIENCE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE
Figure 10. Two birds pulling a chariot, south apartment, Roman mosaic from the Villa Romana del
Casale, Piazza Armerina in Sicily, Italy (c. 300 AD).



      Acknowledgements

   The Authors thank the Director and the Teaching staff of IES Tourism and Marketing
in Alcalà de Henares, Madrid, Spain.


      References

[1]     De Loyola I. (2001), European Tourism Industry, European Commission Confer-
        ence, Brussels, February 27, 2001, Brussels. Pp, 1-8.
[2]     Vu, J.C, Turner, L. (2009) The economic structure of world tourism. Tourism Eco-
        nomics, 15, pp. 5-21.
[3]     Archer, B., Cooper, P., Ruhanen, L. (2005) Positive and negative impacts of Tour-
        ism. In: Global Tourism – 3rd edition. London: Elsevier, pp. 79-102.

                                                                                                  227
                                                                                                              [4]  Beevor, A. (2006). The battle for Spain – the Spanish civil war 1936-1939. Lon-
                                                                                                                   don: Weidenfeld and Nicolson Ltd.
                                                                                                              [5] Takagi, T., (2004), A brief history of live Escape games, History and origin of
                                                                                                                   Escape games: Available at: https://lockacademy.com/en/history-and-origin-of-
E. Palla et al. - A new educational escape-room-based model for the sustainable valorization and management




                                                                                                                   escape-games.
                                                                                                              [6] López Nieva, P. (2005) Atlas básico del Parque Regional del Sureste. Madrid:
                                                                                                                   Consejería de Medio ambiente y Ordenación de Territorio de la Comunidad de
                                                                                                                   Madrid, pp. 1-96.
                                                                                                              [7] Alvear, E., Lopez Colon, J., Loreto, G., Fernandez, M. (2005) Guía de la Natura-
                                                                                                                   leza en Parque Regional del Sureste, Madrid: Grupo Naumanni, pp. 1-285.
                                                                                                              [8] García Pérez, M., Palomar Mantero, V., Tarancón Palomar, M., Álvarez Ruiz, T.,
                                                                                                                   Berrueta García, A., Chivite López, A. Fernanz Gómez, J., García-Monge, A. J,
                                                                                                                   González Blanco, Y. (2010) Guía de Fauna del Parque Regional del Sureste.
                                                                                                                   Madrid: Dirección General del Medio Ambiente, pp. 1-60.
                                                                                                              [9] Suarez F., Rialp S.A. ed. (2000). Manuel Azaña y la guerra de 1936, Madrid:
                                                                                                                   Ediciones Rialp.
                                                                                                              [10] Lledo’ Collada, P. (1999) Alcalà en guerra. Alcalà de Henares: Editorial Brocar.
                                                                                                              [11] Cantamessa, G. (2013) La Villa Romana del Casale di Piazza Armerina - guida
                                                                                                                   all’interpretazione degli ornati musivi mito e realtà tra gli ambienti della residenza
                                                                                                                   tardoantica. Palermo: Editorial group Kalos, pp. 193-195.
                                                                                                              [12] Plinio Il Vecchio, (APROX. 77 D.C) Naturalis historia: book X, paragraphs 1-14.


                                                                                                                    Biographical notes

                                                                                                                 Emanuele Palla graduated in “Tourism and Marketing”, in Madrid in 2019 and col-
                                                                                                              laborated as a member of the Alcalà de Henares team in the “International Touristic
                                                                                                              Expo” Ifema, Madrid, Spain; he was part of the management team training for “El
                                                                                                              tenedor Manager”. He also completed a traineeship where he was responsible for
                                                                                                              the front office reception and back office administration at the “Hotel de Trois Cou-
                                                                                                              ronnes” in Carcassonne (France). He did a traineeship in Tourism and communica-
                                                                                                              tion, for sustainable and upcycling selling enterprise in Lisbon, part of “Erasmus Plus
                                                                                                              KA1 - mobility of VET learners” in 2017. He is fluent in English, Spanish, French and
                                                                                                              Portuguese. He is currently a student in business and administration economics at
                                                                                                              the University of Palermo in Italy.

                                                                                                                  Alejandro Gonzalez Lopez graduated in “Tourism and Marketing” in Madrid in
                                                                                                              2019; during his studies there, he was a collaborator on the Alcalà de Henares team
                                                                                                              and the “International Turistic Expo” Ifema, Madrid; he was also a member of the man-
                                                                                                              agement team training for “El tenedor Manager. He did a traineeship as a receptionist
                                                                                                              in the “Hotel Iluniuon”, Conil, Spain. He is fluent in English.

                                                                                                                 David Gil Aviles graduated in “Tourism and Marketing”, in Madrid in 2019, during
                                                                                                              his studies there, he was a collaborator with the Alcalà de Henares team and the “In-
                                                                                                              ternational Touristic Expo” Ifema, Madrid; he was also a member of the management
                                                                                                              team training for “El tenedor Manager”; he did a traineeship as a receptionist in the
                                                                                                              Best Western Hotel, in Birmingham, England. He is currently a student on the Master
                                                                                                              in Tourism, Getafe, Spain.


                                                                                                        228
   Maria Angeles Sanchez Martinez graduated in Job Science at the Universi-
tat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), Barcelona, in 2012. She completed a Master in
Enterprise Management and Tourism at the IE Business School in 2008. She is
the author of “Marketing in Tourism” 2009, Madrid. She was Quality and innova-
tion Director Manager for the Online Travel Agency (Viajar.com), Department of
Investigation, development and innovation (I+D+I), in 2009. From 2010 on, she
has taught tourism and marketing at the “Tourism and Marketing Academy” in
Madrid, Spain.


   Summary
   Based on the model of the “escape room” game, the activity proposed in this
paper centres on the historical site of one of the fiercest battles of the Spanish
Civil War (February 1937). The battle site is in the area of Rivas-vaciamadrid, the
focal point of the Francoist and Republican camps, which connected the centre of
Madrid with one of the city’s most important logistics and military facilities, Alcalà
de Henares. The study proposes a new way to use the site and, in particular,
proposes a live game aimed at involving different types of participants, aligning
it with their specific profiles, whether children, adults or scholars. Its main aim is
to propose an activity for the sustainable valorization of this heritage and to raise
awareness in participants about this significant piece of history as well as its pres-
ervation in the long-term. It should be kept in mind that “Los pueblos que descono-
cen su Historia están condenados a repetirla”, i.e. “Those who do not know their
history are doomed to repeat it”.
   The Rivas-vaciamadrid site is also a source of information and study regarding
geological, natural and historical-artistic aspects. One example is the Porphyrio por-
phiyrio (western swamphen), present in the ecosystem of Rivas-vaciamadrid, which
has a noteworthy past having been depicted in the mosaics of both the “Villa Romana




                                                                                                      CONSERVATION SCIENCE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE
del Casale” in Sicily and the Church of “San Vitale”, in Ravenna, Italy as well as being
reported in writings by Aristotle and Pliny the Elder.


   Riassunto
   L’attività evidenzia la storia di una delle battaglie più feroci della guerra civile Spa-
gnola (febbraio 1937) che si svolse nell’area di Rivas-vaciamadrid, punto nevralgico
per gli schieramenti Franchista e Repubblicano, che collegava il centro di Madrid
con una delle città logistiche e militari più importanti dell’area (Alcalà de Henares).
Lo studio propone un modo nuovo di fruizione del sito e, in particolare, un gioco dal
vivo rivolto a diverse tipologie di partecipanti, allineandola ai loro profili (bambini,
adulti, studiosi).
   Il sito di Rivas-vaciamadrid è anche fonte d’informazione e studio per quanto riguar-
da aspetti geologici, naturali e storico-artistici. Il “Pollo sultano” (Porphyrio porphiyrio)
presente nell’ecosistema di Rivas-vaciamadrid, ha avuto un passato notorio, come
descritto nei mosaici sia della “Villa Romana del Casale” e della Chiesa di “San Vita-
le” – Ravenna, oltre che riportato nei trattati di Aristotele e nelle “fabulae” di Plinio il
Vecchio (IV secolo a.C.).




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