The Cathedral of the Savior ( es, Catedral del Salvador) or La Seo de Zaragoza 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 lette ...
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 denomination ...
in
Zaragoza
Zaragoza, also known in English as Saragossa,''Encyclopædia Britannica'"Zaragoza (conventional Saragossa)" is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributari ...
, in
Aragon
Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
. It is part of the
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
''
Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon
Mudéjar architecture of Aragon is an aesthetic trend in Mudéjar style in Aragon, (Spain) and has been recognized in some representative buildings as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The chronology of the Aragonese Mudéjar occupies 12th to the ...
''.
The cathedral is located on the Plaza de la Seo and is commonly known as La Seo (
Aragonese for "
see
See or SEE may refer to:
* Sight - seeing
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Music:
** ''See'' (album), studio album by rock band The Rascals
*** "See", song by The Rascals, on the album ''See''
** "See" (Tycho song), song by Tycho
* Television
* ...
") to distinguish it from the nearby ''
El Pilar
El Pilar is an ancient Maya city center located on the Belize-Guatemala border. The site is located north of San Ignacio, Belize and can be accessed through the San Ignacio and Bullet Tree Falls on the Belize River. The name "El Pilar" is Span ...
'', whose name (pillar) is a reference to an apparition of
Mary
Mary may refer to:
People
* Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name)
Religious contexts
* New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below
* Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...
in Zaragoza (also known as Saragossa). They both share co-cathedral status in metropolitan Zaragoza.
History
Origin
The location of the Seo has its roots in the old Roman
forum
Forum or The Forum (plural forums or fora) may refer to:
Common uses
* Forum (legal), designated space for public expression in the United States
*Forum (Roman), open public space within a Roman city
**Roman Forum, most famous example
*Internet ...
. Unlike other Roman city forums, the forum of
Caesaraugusta
Zaragoza, also known in English as Saragossa,''Encyclopædia Britannica'"Zaragoza (conventional Saragossa)" is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributari ...
was not located at the confluence of the
Cardus
Cardus is a Canadian conservative think tank based in Hamilton, Ontario, which has described its mission as "the renewal of North American social architecture.", and bases its work upon a "Judeo-Christian social thought". It formally describes its ...
and the
Decumanus, but instead near the
Ebro river
, name_etymology =
, image = Zaragoza shel.JPG
, image_size =
, image_caption = The Ebro River in Zaragoza
, map = SpainEbroBasin.png
, map_size =
, map_caption = The Ebro ...
, adjoining the river port. The forum, besides being the civic and commercial center of the city, contained the main temple. The Museum of the Forum is found below the plaza del Pilar, across from the
facade of the cathedral. There have been no remains found of either a
Visigoth
The Visigoths (; la, Visigothi, Wisigothi, Vesi, Visi, Wesi, Wisi) were an early Germanic people who, along with the Ostrogoths, constituted the two major political entities of the Goths within the Roman Empire in late antiquity, or what is kno ...
or a
Mozarabic
Mozarabic, also called Andalusi Romance, refers to the medieval Romance varieties spoken in the Iberian Peninsula in territories controlled by the Islamic Emirate of Córdoba and its successors. They were the common tongue for the majority of ...
church.
The Mosque
Hanas ben Abdallah as San'ani
Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian territories, Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and Religious nationalism, nationalist organization. It has a social ...
(? – 718), a disciple of someone close to
Mohammed
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monoth ...
, built the main mosque of Saraqusta al Baida, Zaragoza la Blanca, according to
Al-Ḥumaydī
Abu Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr Futuh ibn Abd Allah ibn Futuh ibn Humayd ibn Yasil, most commonly known as al-Humaydi Al-saboni, was an Andalusian scholar of history and Islamic studies of Arab origin.
Life
Humaydi's family belonged to the ...
(1029–1095). The main mosque is certainly one of the oldest of
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus DIN 31635, translit. ; an, al-Andalus; ast, al-Ándalus; eu, al-Andalus; ber, ⴰⵏⴷⴰⵍⵓⵙ, label=Berber languages, Berber, translit=Andalus; ca, al-Àndalus; gl, al-Andalus; oc, Al Andalús; pt, al-Ândalus; es, ...
. The edifice underwent two additions, one in the 9th century and one in the 11th century, under the
Taifa
The ''taifas'' (singular ''taifa'', from ar, طائفة ''ṭā'ifa'', plural طوائف ''ṭawā'if'', a party, band or faction) were the independent Muslim principalities and kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula (modern Portugal and Spain), re ...
king of Zaragoza,
Mundir I. During the restoration completed in 1999, a number of remains were discovered, such as the impression of the
minaret
A minaret (; ar, منارة, translit=manāra, or ar, مِئْذَنة, translit=miʾḏana, links=no; tr, minare; fa, گلدسته, translit=goldaste) is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generall ...
on the external walls, and the floor of the ancient structure. In addition, the entrance was located in the same place as that of the current cathedral.
The arrival in Zaragoza in 1118 of
Alfonso I, the Battler did not lead to the immediate demolition of the mosque. He gave the
Muslims
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraha ...
one year to move out of the town, and on October 4, 1121, the building was consecrated under the name San Salvador, and the necessary renovations were made to allow the building to be used for
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
purposes.
The Romanesque Cathedral
The destruction of the mosque and the construction of the Late Romanesque cathedral began in 1140. The new church, with a basilical layout consisting of a
transept
A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building withi ...
and three naves ending in
apse
In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an ''exedra''. In ...
s, constructed of stone, owed much stylistically to the
Cathedral of Jaca, from which it took various elements. Besides the church building itself, it had an archive, a
refectory
A refectory (also frater, frater house, fratery) is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries. The name derives from the La ...
, a nursery, and two
cloister
A cloister (from Latin ''claustrum'', "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cathedral or church, commonly against a ...
s. From this era the lower part of two of the apses is still preserved, with small windows between inscribed capitals depicted, adorned with so-called "checkered jaqués" on the outside, and, inside, a set of sculptures that at present are hidden behind the main altarpiece. The construction of the original cathedral continued throughout the 13th century.
From 1204 up until the 15th century, all
Aragonese kings were crowned in this church, by a special privilege bestowed by
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III ( la, Innocentius III; 1160 or 1161 – 16 July 1216), born Lotario dei Conti di Segni (anglicized as Lothar of Segni), was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 January 1198 to his death in 16 J ...
. The king, who the previous night had kept watch over his armaments in the
Aljafería
The Aljafería Palace ( es, Palacio de la Aljafería; ar, قصر الجعفرية, tr. ''Qaṣr al-Jaʿfariyah'') is a fortified medieval palace built during the second half of the 11th century in the Taifa of Zaragoza in Al-Andalus, present d ...
, would approach from there in a procession. The ceremony included four parts: investiture of weapons, unction with holy oil, placing of the crown and the royal insignia, and oath of the ''
fueros
(), (), () or () is a Spanish legal term and concept. The word comes from Latin , an open space used as a market, tribunal and meeting place. The same Latin root is the origin of the French terms and , and the Portuguese terms and ; all ...
'' (statutes) and liberties of the Kingdom of Aragon. The last king to be crowned in La Seo was
Charles I Charles I may refer to:
Kings and emperors
* Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings
* Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily
* Charles I of ...
in 1518. Later kings needed only to swear to the ''fueros''. Royal baptisms, weddings, and burials were also performed in the cathedral.
The Gothic-Mudéjar Cathedral
![Seo nocturna](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Seo_nocturna.jpg)
In 1318
Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII ( la, Ioannes PP. XXII; 1244 – 4 December 1334), born Jacques Duèze (or d'Euse), was head of the Catholic Church from 7 August 1316 to his death in December 1334.
He was the second and longest-reigning Avignon Pope, elected by ...
created the archbishopric of
Zaragoza
Zaragoza, also known in English as Saragossa,''Encyclopædia Britannica'"Zaragoza (conventional Saragossa)" is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributari ...
, making it independent of the see of
Tarragona
Tarragona (, ; Phoenician: ''Tarqon''; la, Tarraco) is a port city located in northeast Spain on the Costa Daurada by the Mediterranean Sea. Founded before the fifth century BC, it is the capital of the Province of Tarragona, and part of Tar ...
, and with that the building became a metropolitan cathedral. From this point the additions were carried out using cheap materials that were found nearby in abundance: bricks and plaster. Under the supervision of the archbishop
Pedro López de Luna
Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for ''Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter.
The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, meaning ...
(1317–1345) a Gothic church with three naves (the present three central naves) was built, keeping the Romanesque apses. The central nave was built higher than those on the sides, making it possible to create windows that from 1447 would be covered with stained glass. In 1346 a
Mudéjar
Mudéjar ( , also , , ca, mudèjar , ; from ar, مدجن, mudajjan, subjugated; tamed; domesticated) refers to the group of Muslims who remained in Iberia in the late medieval period despite the Christian reconquest. It is also a term for ...
dome was started to provide light at the altar, with the participation of the masters Juan de Barbastro and Domingo Serrano. The work was finished in 1376, when Don Lope Fernández de Luna was already archbishop, creating a spacious, well-lit Gothic cathedral.
In 1360, during the archbishopric of Don Lope Fernández de Luna, the main facade was renovated and the so-called
Parroquieta was built, all in the Mudéjar style. The only thing that has been preserved is the Parroquieta or parochial chapel of San Miguel Archangel, that was built as a closed and independent chapel inside the building, and that archbishop Don Lope designed as a funeral chapel. The construction, elegantly carried out in Gothic-Mudéjar style, is a unique example of the work of the Aragonese masters and the Seville builders, who covered the exterior wall with geometric drawings made of smooth brick and glazed ceramic. In the interior, the roof is constructed of gilded wood, also in the Mudéjar style.
Renaissance
In 1403 the old dome fell down. The
Antipope
An antipope ( la, antipapa) is a person who makes a significant and substantial attempt to occupy the position of Bishop of Rome and leader of the Catholic Church in opposition to the legitimately elected pope. At times between the 3rd and mid- ...
Benedict XIII (''Papa Luna''), Aragonese by birth, initiated a reconstruction of the building. The Romanesque apses were elevated, two towers buttressing the sides of the apses were added, and a new dome was built in the shape of a
Papal Tiara
The papal tiara is a crown that was worn by popes of the Catholic Church from as early as the 8th century to the mid-20th. It was last used by Pope Paul VI in 1963 and only at the beginning of his reign.
The name "tiara" refers to the entire h ...
. Decorated in 1409 by the master Mohammed Rami, it may have been viewed by Benedict XIII on his visit to the city in 1410.
The main altarpiece was constructed during the archbishopric of
Don Dalmau de Mur y Cervelló (1431–1456). Dalmau Mur concentrated on beautifying the interior of the building, taking charge of, besides the main altarpiece, the chorus and other smaller constructions.
On September 14, 1485,
Pedro de Arbués
Pedro de Arbués, also known as ''Peter of Arbués'' (c. 1441 – 17 September 1485) was a Spanish Roman Catholic priest and a professed Augustinian canon. He served as an official of the Spanish Inquisition until he was assassinated in the La ...
, the canon and head
Inquisitor of Aragón, was assassinated in the cathedral as he was praying while wearing a helmet and chain mail. This was the consequence of the bad reception that the
Inquisition
The Inquisition was a group of institutions within the Catholic Church whose aim was to combat heresy, conducting trials of suspected heretics. Studies of the records have found that the overwhelming majority of sentences consisted of penances, ...
had in
Aragón
Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises th ...
, where it was seen as an attack by the crown on the ''fueros'', the local laws and privileges. In particular, some of the most powerful families among the converted
Jew
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""Th ...
s - such as the Sánchez, Montesa, Paternoy, and Santángel families - were implicated in the assassination. As a consequence, there arose a popular movement against the Jews; "nine were finally executed ''in persona'', in addition to two suicides, thirteen burnings at the stake, and four punished for complicity" according to the account of
Jerónimo Zurita
Jerónimo (European Portuguese and Spanish) or Jerônimo (Brazilian Portuguese) may refer to:
* Jerónimo (name), a given or surname, Jerome in English
** Jeronimo (singer) (born 1990), Dutch pop singer and actor
* Jeronimo (band), German band ...
. Pedro de Arbués was sainted by Pope
Pius IX
Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...
in 1867; his sepulchre, designed by
Gil Morlanes the elder, is found within the cathedral in the chapel of San Pedro Arbués.
During the 16th and 17th century, the cathedral was one of the centers of the
Aragonese school of
polyphonic music
Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, h ...
. Musicians
Melchor Robledo,
Sebastián Aguilera de Heredia,
Pedro Ruimonte,
Diego Pontac,
Jusépe Ximénez and
Andrés de Sola
Andres or Andrés may refer to:
*Andres, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Will County, Illinois, US
*Andres, Pas-de-Calais, a commune in Pas-de-Calais, France
*Andres (name)
*Hurricane Andres
* "Andres" (song), a 1994 song by L7
See also ...
, among others, worked and composed there.
Recent centuries
The long-standing rivalry between the
canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western ca ...
s of El Pilar and of La Seo was well known in the 17th century. The cathedral
chapter of El Pilar even brought a suit to win the episcopal seat, a suit that was decided by
Philip IV in favor of La Seo. The disputes would not be resolved until, in 1676,
Pope Clement X
Pope Clement X ( la, Clemens X; it, Clemente X; 13 July 1590 – 22 July 1676), born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 April 1670 to his death in July 1676. Elected pope at ag ...
made the Solomon-like decision to merge the two chapters via the
Bull
A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions,
includin ...
of Union. Six prebendaries and 15 canons would reside in La Seo, and the same in El Pilar, and the dean would live six months in each one.
Also during the 17th century, the old and decrepit ''Mudéjar'' tower was pulled down, and in 1686 construction was begun on a new one. The new tower, which was designed in Rome in 1683 by
Juan Bautista Contini in the
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
style, was started in 1686 and finished in 1704 with the placement of the spire.
The front was constructed in the 18th century in an Italian-Baroque style that was clearly of a neoclassic aspect. It was entrusted by the Archbishop Añoa to Julian Yarza, a disciple of
Ventura Rodríguez
Ventura Rodríguez Tizón (July 14, 1717 – September 26, 1785) was a Spanish architect and artist. Born at Ciempozuelos, Rodríguez was the son of a bricklayer. In 1727, he collaborated with his father in the work at the Royal Palace of Aranj ...
.
During the second half of the 20th century, a thorough restoration of the building took place, which lasted some 23 years. The project can be divided into four stages:
* From 1975 to 1987: replacement of the six pillars of the main nave, roofs, eaves, glassworks, foundation, destruction of adjacent buildings, and archeological excavation.
* From 1987 to 1992: wall of the Parroquieta, dome, chapels of the head and neoclassical facade.
* From 1992 to 1994: completion of outside work and excavation of Roman and Muslim remnants.
* From 1995 to 1998: restoration of the tower, the spire and the clock, the organ, the main altarpiece; in general all the plasterwork and chapels were cleaned and restored; also the tapestry museum was renovated.
In total more than two billion pesetas were spent by the Government of Aragon, the Archbishopric of Zaragoza and the Metropolitan Chapter, the Department of Education and Culture of Spain, Ibercaja, and Caja de Ahorros de la Inmaculada. As of 2005, the sacristy was still in the process of being restored.
Architectural styles
![La Seo del Salvador](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/La_Seo_del_Salvador.jpg)
La Seo was built on the site of the ancient
Roman
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 letter ...
forum
Forum or The Forum (plural forums or fora) may refer to:
Common uses
* Forum (legal), designated space for public expression in the United States
*Forum (Roman), open public space within a Roman city
**Roman Forum, most famous example
*Internet ...
of
Augustus
Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...
and of the main mosque of the
Moorish
The term Moor, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages.
Moors are not a distinct or se ...
city of Saraqusta, elements of whose
minaret
A minaret (; ar, منارة, translit=manāra, or ar, مِئْذَنة, translit=miʾḏana, links=no; tr, minare; fa, گلدسته, translit=goldaste) is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generall ...
form part of the current tower. The construction began in the 12th century in the Romanesque style, and underwent many alterations and expansions until 1704, when the
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
spire
A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires are ...
completed the tower.
The cathedral is a mixture of styles, from the Romanesque apse (12th century) to the
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
tower and
Neo-Classical main door (18th century), passing through
Mudéjar
Mudéjar ( , also , , ca, mudèjar , ; from ar, مدجن, mudajjan, subjugated; tamed; domesticated) refers to the group of Muslims who remained in Iberia in the late medieval period despite the Christian reconquest. It is also a term for ...
and
Gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
. Of the diverse styles that make up La Seo Cathedral, the most important elements are:
*
Romanesque: in the exterior and the lower part of the
apse
In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an ''exedra''. In ...
. The Roman interior of the apse still remains, but is now covered by the Gothic
altarpiece
An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting o ...
. In the
sacristy
A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.
The sacristy is usually located ...
are the "olifante" by
Gaston IV of Béarn
Gaston is a masculine given name of French origin and a surname. The name "Gaston" may refer to:
People
First name
*Gaston I, Count of Foix (1287–1315)
* Gaston II, Count of Foix (1308–1343)
*Gaston III, Count of Foix (1331–1391)
*Gaston ...
, built in ivory in the 11th century, and the relic-busts of
Valerius of Saragossa
Saint Valerius of Saragossa ( es, San Valero; an, Sant Valero) (d. 315 AD) is the patron saint of Saragossa. He was bishop of this city from 290 until his death. He assisted at the Council of Elvira. His feast day is January 29.
History
Saint Val ...
(patron saint of Zaragoza),
Saint Vincent of Saragossa
Vincent of Saragossa (also known as Vincent Martyr, Vincent of Huesca or Vincent the Deacon), the Protomartyr of Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_m ...
, and
St. Lawrence
Saint Lawrence or Laurence ( la, Laurentius, lit. " laurelled"; 31 December AD 225 – 10 August 258) was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II who were martyred in the persecution of the Christians that the Roma ...
donated by the antipope
Benedict XIII.
*
Gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
: mixed with Mudéjar, especially in the upper part of the exterior of the apse. The three central naves with their arches and tracery. Magnificent altarpiece largely of painted
alabaster
Alabaster is a mineral or rock that is soft, often used for carving, and is processed for plaster powder. Archaeologists and the stone processing industry use the word differently from geologists. The former use it in a wider sense that includes ...
made by
Pere Johan
Pere Johan or Pere Joan (born c. 1400) was a Catalan Gothic sculptor.
He was the son of sculptor Jordi de Déu, a former slave and disciple of sculptor Jaume Cascalls. His first solo works are known from the late 1410s, such as a keystone in the ...
and
Hans de Suabia. Choir stalls. Museum of
Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
tapestries from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, one of the three largest such collections in the world.
*
Mudéjar
Mudéjar ( , also , , ca, mudèjar , ; from ar, مدجن, mudajjan, subjugated; tamed; domesticated) refers to the group of Muslims who remained in Iberia in the late medieval period despite the Christian reconquest. It is also a term for ...
: exterior wall of the Parish of San Miguel and its interior roof, gilded with wood. The
Aragon
Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...
ese Mudéjar has been named a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
.
*
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
: In the Parroquieta of San Miguel, the tomb of the
archbishop
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
Don
López Fernández de Luna
López is a surname of Spanish origin.
It was originally a patronymic, meaning "Son of Lope", ''Lope'' itself being a Spanish given name deriving from Latin ''lupus'', meaning "wolf". Its Portuguese and Galician equivalent is ''Lopes'', its Ita ...
from the 16th century.
Dome
A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...
with Mudéjar influences, built in the first third of the 16th century to replace the older Moorish dome.
*
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
: Tower and gate.
The cathedral's museum has been restored recently and is open to the public. It is a tapestry museum that displays one of the finest collections of tapestries in the world.
Interior
Beginning with the foot of the cathedral, the chapels on the right side:
*Door of the Pabostría and atrium. The interior of the door is the most interesting part.
*Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows, a late Gothic chapel with Baroque altar and altar paintings by
Francisco Ximeno.
*Chapel of
San Valero (Valerius). Baroque entryway of gilded wood from the seventeenth century with scenes of the saints Valerius (patron of the city),
Vincent
Vincent ( la, Vincentius) is a male given name derived from the Roman name Vincentius, which is derived from the Latin word (''to conquer'').
People with the given name Artists
*Vincent Apap (1909–2003), Maltese sculptor
*Vincent van Gogh ...
, and
Lawrence
Lawrence may refer to:
Education Colleges and universities
* Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States
* Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States
Preparator ...
. Walls were painted by
García Ferrer.
*Chapel of
Saint Helen, or the Chapel of the Most Holy Sacrament. The altar, entryway, and paintings by
Francesco Lupicini of
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
are all Baroque works of the seventeenth century.
*Chapel of the archangels
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name "Michael"
* Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...
,
Gabriel
In Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), Gabriel (); Greek: grc, Γαβριήλ, translit=Gabriḗl, label=none; Latin: ''Gabriel''; Coptic: cop, Ⲅⲁⲃⲣⲓⲏⲗ, translit=Gabriêl, label=none; Amharic: am, ገብር ...
, and
Raphael
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. List of works by Raphael, His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of ...
. The chapel was constructed by
Gabriel Zaporta
In Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), Gabriel (); Greek: grc, Γαβριήλ, translit=Gabriḗl, label=none; Latin: ''Gabriel''; Coptic: cop, Ⲅⲁⲃⲣⲓⲏⲗ, translit=Gabriêl, label=none; Amharic: am, ገብ ...
towards the end of the sixteenth century as a funerary chapel; only the lid of the sarcophagus has been preserved from that era. Dating from the Renaissance are altar decorations fashioned by
Juan de Anchieta
Juan de Anchieta (Azpeitia, Gipuzkoa, Spain, 1462 – Azpeitia, 1523) was a leading Spanish Basque composer of the Renaissance, at the Royal Court Chaplaincy in Granada of Queen Isabel I of Castile.
History
Born into a leading Basque family, ...
, bronze grating by
Guillén Trujarón, and the doorway. The paintings and mosaics are believed to be the work of the painter
Pedro Morone of Siena.
*Chapel of
Santo Dominguito de Val
Dominguito del Val (died ''c.'' 1250) was a legendary child of Medieval Spain, who was allegedly a choirboy ritually murdered by Jews in Zaragoza (Saragossa). Dominguito is the protagonist of the first blood libel in the history of Spain – st ...
, patron saint of the
Infanticos. This Baroque chapel dates back to the second half of the eighteenth century and houses the remains of the saint himself.
Elliptical cupola (dome) that arches over very detailed plaster ''pechinas'' (support structures of the cupola).
*Chapel of
St. Augustine. Renaissance-era altar decorations by Gil Morlanes with sculptures by
Gabriel Yoly and
José Sanz (image of St. Augustine from 1720)
*Chapel of Saint
Pedro Arbués
Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for ''Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter.
The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, meaning ...
. On the walls appear framed paintings from the seventeenth century attributed to the artist
Berdusán. Below a canopy (pavilion-like draping of fabric) with
Solomonic column
The Solomonic column, also called Barley-sugar column, is a helical column, characterized by a spiraling twisting shaft like a corkscrew. It is not associated with a specific classical order, although most examples have Corinthian or Composite c ...
s is a sculpture of Saint Pedro Arbués done by
Juan Ramírez in the seventeenth century. Baroque doorway from the eighteenth century.
Beginning with the foot of the cathedral, the chapels on the left side:
*Chapel of
St. Bernard. This is one of the greatest works of the Aragonese Renaissance. Between 1549 and 1555, it contained the tombs of the archbishop
Hernando de Aragón
Hernando de Aragón y de Gurrea, OCist (25 July 1498 – 29 January 1575), Archbishop of Zaragoza and Lieutenant General of Aragon, was an Aragonese humanist and historian.
Family
Born in Zaragoza, Aragón was the second illegitimate so ...
, who ordered its construction, along with that of his mother Ana de Gurrea. Juan Vizcaíno created the sepulchre of the archbishop, and
Juan de Liceire did that of his mother. The altar decorations for the Chapel of
San Bruno
San Bruno (Spanish for " St. Bruno") is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, incorporated in 1914. The population was 43,908 at the 2020 United States Census. The city is between South San Francisco and Millbrae, adjacent to ...
were entrusted to the sculptor
Pedro de Moreto. All parts were made of alabaster. The grating is also from the Renaissance and was the work of Guillén Trujarón.
*Chapel of
St. Benedict
Benedict of Nursia ( la, Benedictus Nursiae; it, Benedetto da Norcia; 2 March AD 480 – 21 March AD 548) was an Christianity in Italy, Italian Christian monk, writer, and theologian who is venerated in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Ortho ...
. Commissioned in Gothic style in the sixteenth century, the construction was delayed by Hernando de Aragón in order to collect the bodies of his servants.
*Chapel of
St. Mark.
*Chapel of the Birth of Christ. Simple doorway from the sixteenth century. Altar decorations with panels attributed to
Roland de Mois or
Jerónimo de Mora
Jerónimo (European Portuguese and Spanish) or Jerônimo (Brazilian Portuguese) may refer to:
* Jerónimo (name), a given or surname, Jerome in English
** Jeronimo (singer) (born 1990), Dutch pop singer and actor
* Jeronimo (band), German band of ...
from the sixteenth century. Renaissance grating by
Hernando de Ávila.
*Chapel of
Saints Justa and Rufina. Paintings by
Juan Galván
Juan Galván (?–?) was a Spanish soldier and explorer who served as an ensign and explorer in San Antonio, Texas. It was on his recommendation that the Presidio San Saba was established.
Biography
Galván settled in San Antonio of Bexar ear ...
hang over the walls. The painting of the saints was done by
Francisco Camilo
Francisco Camilo (Madrid 1610–Madrid 1671) was a Spanish painter, the son of an Italian immigrant who had settled in Madrid. When his father died, his mother remarried, and Camilo became the stepson of the painter Pedro de las Cuevas.William ...
in 1644.
*Chapel of
St. Vincent
Saint Vincent may refer to:
People Saints
* Vincent of Saragossa (died 304), a.k.a. Vincent the Deacon, deacon and martyr
* Saint Vincenca, 3rd century Roman martyress, whose relics are in Blato, Croatia
* Vincent, Orontius, and Victor (died 305) ...
. Baroque doorway. The sculpture of St. Vincent is from roughly 1760 and was created by
Carlos Salas.
*Chapel of
St. James the Great (Santiago). A painting by
Pablo Raviella from 1695. An image of St. James the pilgrim, from the 16th century, under a baroque canopy.
Choir:
*The choir section is formed by 117 oaken seats built by three monks named Gomar, Bernardo Giner, and Mateo de Cambiay. It is enclosed by a bronze grating accented with sculptures of gilded wood by Juan Ramírez. The archbishop Dalmau Mir is buried here.
*The
organ preserves some remnants of the Gothic organ of 1469 and pipes hailing from the fifteenth to the eighteenth century. The present-day organ is the result of the integration of the complex historical pieces of the instrument, done between 1857 and 1859 by Pedro Roqués.
*To the rear of the choir lies the chapel of the Holy Christ, with a representation of the crucified Christ,
Mater Dolorosa
Our Lady of Sorrows ( la, Beata Maria Virgo Perdolens), Our Lady of Dolours, the Sorrowful Mother or Mother of Sorrows ( la, Mater Dolorosa, link=no), and Our Lady of Piety, Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours are names ...
(Mary) and
St. John created by
Arnau de Bruselas near the end of the sixteenth century; all of this is below a canopy supported by Solomonic columns of black marble. The decorations are the work of
Jerónimo Vallejo, Arnau de Bruselas, and
Juan Sanz de Tudelilla, done in hardened plaster, and they form one of the most notable groups of sculpture from the Aragonese Renaissance. To the sides lie the small chapels of
St. Martha,
St. Matthew
Matthew the Apostle,, shortened to ''Matti'' (whence ar, مَتَّى, Mattā), meaning "Gift of YHWH"; arc, , Mattai; grc-koi, Μαθθαῖος, ''Maththaîos'' or , ''Matthaîos''; cop, ⲙⲁⲧⲑⲉⲟⲥ, Mattheos; la, Matthaeus a ...
,
St. John the Baptist,
St. Thomas of Villanova,
Nuestra Señora de la Merced,
Saint Leonard of Noblac
Leonard of Noblac (also Leonard of Limoges or Leonard of Noblet; also known as Lienard, Linhart, Leonhard, Léonard, Leonardo, Annard; died 559), is a Frankish saint closely associated with the town and abbey of Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, in Ha ...
,
Saint Philip Neri
Philip Romolo Neri ( ; it, italics=no, Filippo Romolo Neri, ; 22 July 151526 May 1595), known as the "Second Apostle of Rome", after Saint Peter, was an Italian priest noted for founding a society of secular clergy called the Congregation of t ...
, and
Saint Orosia.
Apses:
*Chapel of the
Virgen Blanca (White Virgin). Baroque altar decorations of wood with paintings by
Jusepe Martínez
Jusepe Martínez Lurbe (1602 in Zaragoza – 1682) was a Spanish painter. He wrote a treatise
A treatise is a formal and systematic written discourse on some subject, generally longer and treating it in greater depth than an essay, and mor ...
(1647), a painter from Zaragoza. Alabaster sculpture of the Virgin with child from the fifteenth century made by the French sculptor
Fortaner de Uesques. On the floor lie various tombstones of the archbishops of Zaragoza from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
*Main altar decorations. Dedicated to the Savior, it was originally created in alabaster and painted by various artists from 1434 to 1480, most notably
Pere Johan
Pere Johan or Pere Joan (born c. 1400) was a Catalan Gothic sculptor.
He was the son of sculptor Jordi de Déu, a former slave and disciple of sculptor Jaume Cascalls. His first solo works are known from the late 1410s, such as a keystone in the ...
,
Francisco Gomar, and
Hans Piet D'anso
Hans may refer to:
__NOTOC__ People
* Hans (name), a masculine given name
* Hans Raj Hans, Indian singer and politician
** Navraj Hans, Indian singer, actor, entrepreneur, cricket player and performer, son of Hans Raj Hans
** Yuvraj Hans, Punjabi ...
. It can be considered one of the greatest works of European Gothic sculpture.
*Chapel of
St. Peter and
St. Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
. Altar decorations of gilded wood with relief scenes of the lives of Saints Peter and Paul.
See also
*
Catholic Church in Spain
, native_name_lang =
, image = Sevilla Cathedral - Southeast.jpg
, imagewidth = 300px
, alt =
, caption = Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See in Seville
, abbreviation =
, type ...
*
Aljafería
The Aljafería Palace ( es, Palacio de la Aljafería; ar, قصر الجعفرية, tr. ''Qaṣr al-Jaʿfariyah'') is a fortified medieval palace built during the second half of the 11th century in the Taifa of Zaragoza in Al-Andalus, present d ...
*
History of medieval Arabic and Western European domes
The early domes of the Middle Ages, particularly in those areas recently under Byzantine control, were an extension of earlier Roman architecture. The domed church architecture of Italy from the sixth to the eighth centuries followed that of the ...
References
*
*
External links
Page of the Cathedral CouncilPage about Zaragoza and AragónHerensuge the Basque dragon
{{Subject bar , portal1= Architecture , portal2= Catholicism , portal3= Spain
Seo
Seo or SEO may refer to:
* Search engine optimization, the process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in search engines
Organisations
* SEO Economic Research, a scientific institute
* Spanish Ornithological Society (''Socied ...
Zaragoza, La Seo
12th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Spain
Conversion of non-Christian religious buildings and structures into churches
Former mosques in Spain
Museums in Zaragoza
Tourist attractions in Zaragoza
Buildings converted to Catholic church buildings