Catedral Metropolitana de Barquisimeto en su parte interna

Barquisimeto Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana de Barquisimeto) is a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations ...

Barquisimeto Barquisimeto (; guc, Watkisimeeta) is a city in Venezuela. It is the capital of the state of Lara and head of Iribarren Municipality. It is an important urban, industrial, commercial and transportation center of the country, recognized as the f ...

, Venezuela. It is one of the most modern cathedrals in

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

, considered original in style. Designed by Jan Bergkamp, it was his first major project. Its exterior shape is an upside down flower, with a bell tower external to the building. It is located on Avenida Venezuela between Avenida Simón Rodríguez and Calle 30. Considered to be advanced engineering for its time, it was completed in 1968. This unconventionally-shaped cathedral is a hyperbolic paraboloid with two wings connected by a central tower. It required extensive structural precision. The cathedral ceiling consists of acrylic panels supported by a network of steel wires.

History

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...

chapel was built in this location in 1636, when a permit was conferred by Governor

Francisco Núñez Melián Francisco Núñez Melián (died 13 April 1644) was a Spanish adventurer and royal administrator. In 1626, he led an expedition to locate the wrecks of the two ships ''Nuestra Señora de Atocha'' and '' Santa Margarita''. On 3 June 1626 one of his ...

, enacted from his home in

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

. The 1812 earthquake reduced the building to rubble. In 1865, construction of a new building was completed. Venezuela's 1950 earthquake, which was felt in Barquisimeto, lead to significant destruction within the chapel. As a result, the building was demolished, leaving only the bell tower (1865) and clock (1888). The construction of the present church building began in 1953 to a design of the architect Jahn Bergkamp. It features four naves and is considered an expression of modern art. Every year on January 14, the Divina Pastora returns to the cathedral. It was vandalized in 2014.

References

External links

* {{Portal bar, Venezuela, Catholicism, Architecture, History Buildings and structures in Barquisimeto Roman Catholic cathedrals in Venezuela Roman Catholic churches completed in 1968 20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Venezuela

History

See also

References

External links