Datapath embraces immersive video mapping at Salamanca Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Salamanca Cathedral has unveiled a striking immersive audiovisual installation that combines large-scale video mapping, lighting, and spatial audio as part of an engaging exhibition programme. Titled Home/Shelter/Protection for All, the experience transforms the cathedral’s vaulted architecture into a dynamic narrative environment for visitors in Spain’s Golden City.

Located in the rarely accessed space above the nave of the 16th-century New Cathedral, the project presented a series of technical challenges. The installation was developed within a long, vaulted space that required projections on opposing sides of the structure to create a fully immersive visual narrative. Six high-brightness projectors, arranged in two groups of three, were used to produce seamless edge-blended imagery across a high-resolution 3600 × 3840-pixel projection canvas: the historic stone surfaces. Absolute synchronisation and pixel-accurate playback were essential, while the equipment needed to operate discreetly and reliably within a protected heritage environment, despite fluctuations in temperature and humidity.

To meet these requirements, two Datapath Fx4 video wall controllers were selected as the central video distribution platform. Receiving high-resolution content from a TouchDesigner-based media server, the Fx4 units split and distribute the video signal across all six projectors with frame-accurate precision, ensuring image consistency across the projection surface.

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 playback during the day, as well as manually controlled guided presentations in the evening.

Working within the TouchDesigner environment, the Fx4 enables real-time content control and synchronisation with DMX-controlled lighting and a 4.1 spatial audio system, delivering a fully immersive visitor experience.Since its launch, the Home/Shelter/Protection for All installation has been successfully operating 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 heritage spaces without compromising their integrity.

Delivering an installation of this scale inside a historic cathedral required absolute confidence in the video infrastructure. With multiple projectors, high-resolution content, and a demanding heritage environment, reliability and precision were critical. Datapath Fx4 provided the control and stability we needed to manage complex video distribution seamlessly, allowing the creative and architectural elements of the space to take centre stage, says Markus Schroll (Esther Pizarro Studio), Technical Director of the project.

“We are extremely proud to have been involved in a project of such cultural and historical significance”, says Carmen Jerez, Regional Sales Manager at Datapath. “Working in a landmark such as Salamanca Cathedral is both a privilege and a responsibility, and it is rewarding to see how our technology helps enhance the visitor experience while respecting the integrity of the space”.