Franz Schrader and the construction of Upper Aragon natural heritage

Abstract

The French mountaineers in the Pyrenees played a key role in the discovery of Upper Aragon’s high mountains during the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. Their exploration campaigns contributed to spread the knowledge about sites and itineraries that would be later valorized as heritage in the province of Huesca. Their look influenced the protection of natural areas in Spain, particularly in Ordesa and Monte Perdido. The iconography and field notes by the famous geographer, cartographer and painter Franz Schrader seem to be a valuable but unknown testimony. The objective is to analyze the speech and the images by Schrader contributing to the germ of a heritage making process in order to identify the convergences and divergences between this important scientist and first institutions working for protection in mountain areas.

Keywords: Pyrenees, Upper Aragon, Ordesa, Schrader, heritage making.