The Quito Metropolitan Cathedral ( es, Catedral Metropolitana de Quito), known simply as ''la Catedral'', is the

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

cathedral in

Quito Quito (; qu, Kitu), formally San Francisco de Quito, is the capital and largest city of Ecuador, with an estimated population of 2.8 million in its urban area. It is also the capital of the province of Pichincha. Quito is located in a valley on ...

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...

. Located on the southwestern side of the Plaza de la Independencia (La Plaza Grande), it (and its predecessor building) served as a seat of the Diocese of Quito from 1545 until 1848 when it was elevated to

Archdiocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associat ...

. In 1995, it was elevated to the Cathedral of Ecuador, making it the seniormost Catholic church in the country.

History

Background

Soon after the founding of the city of San Francisco de Quito (6 December 1534), the entire southern side of the future ''Plaza Grande'' was given over to the Church. The first temporary building, raised in the same year by Father Juan Rodriguez — first pastor of the fledgling town — was of adobe with wood frame and thatch roof. With the establishment of a parish of Quito (January 1545), a Bishop —

García Díaz Arias García Díaz Arias (died 1562) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as the first Bishop of Quito (1546–1562). ''(in Latin)'' Biography On 8 January 1546, García Díaz Arias was appointed during the papacy of Pope Paul III as Bishop of Q ...

— was named and reached the city on April 13 of the following year, along with

Vicar General A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop ...

Pedro Rodríguez de Aguayo and plans to build a more eminent edifice.

Construction

Construction began in 1535 and became cathedral with the creation of the Bishopric of Quito in 1545. From 1562 to 1565, the building rose from its

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms w ...

foundations under the leadership of now Archdeacon Rodríguez de Aguayo, who served as acting bishop — Diaz Arias having died. The architect was Antonio García.Peralta, ''Op. cit.''. Construction was of stone and the ''minga'' system (a local traditional practice of communal hauling, carving, and masonry) was utilized. Turning its flank broadside to the Plaza, the Church helped define its size and shape. The anomaly of the main entrance not fronting onto the Plaza is explained by the presence of a deep gorge (''la quebrada de Sanguña'' or ''Zanguña'') present at the time of construction, which precluded extending the building backwards (toward the southwest). The site, adjacent to the ravine, had been selected for defensive purposes. The ravine was itself overtopped by the '' Iglesia de El Sagrario'' in the 17th century. The cathedral was consecrated by the second bishop of Quito — Fray

Pedro de la Peña Pedro de la Peña, O.P. (died 7 March 1583) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as the second Bishop of Quito (1565–1583) and the second Bishop of Verapaz (1564–1565). ''(in Latin)''Mount Pichincha, a local volcano which struck Quito in 1660, the damaged Cathedral was rebuilt by order of Bishop

Alfonso de la Peña y Montenegro Alfonso de la Peña y Montenegro (29 Apr 1596 – 1687) was a Spanish Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Quito (1653–1687). ''(in Latin)''

. Much of its internal decor was reworked and it is from this period that Miguel de Santiago's painting of the Virgin Mary (''Dormition of the Virgin''), formerly in the main choir reredos, is dated. At this time the building was also lengthened toward the west, the aisles were connected behind the choir, and an opening made for a side doorway to the square. 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 locate ...

was also extended and the separate

chapter house A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room that is part of a cathedral, monastery or collegiate church in which meetings are held. When attached to a cathedral, the cathedral chapter meets there. In monasteries, the whole commun ...

(known as ''La Iglesia de El Sagrario'') was built.

18th century

Plaza principal de Quito, anónimo - siglo XVIII (Museo de la Moneda, Bogotá)

Interior de la Catedral de Quito (circa 1860)

A second reconstruction came in 1755 owing to an earthquake that struck the city in that year, although the work was relatively minor as the damage had not been significant. A more significant earthquake struck in 1797 at which time major changes were made to the interior decoration including a new choir. According to tradition, the artist known as Caspicara (Manuel Chili) participated in this and incorporated paintings of his teachers Manuel de Samaniego and Bernardo Rodríguez, removing from the choir de Santiago's great 17th century canvas ''Dormition'' and replacing it with Samaniego's ''El Tránsito de la Virgen''. The present gilt wooden pulpit was re-surfaced at this time.

19th century

The cathedral was enhanced in 1797–1799, during the administration of the 20th President of the Real Audiencia Baron Héctor de Carondelet, by the addition of the Carondelet Arch, a work of Spanish military engineer Antonio García. The early 19th century also saw the replacement of the original 16th-century Mudéjar-style coffered ceiling with a copy. (This was itself replaced by another copy in the mid-20th century.) Earthquakes again damaged the building in 1858 and '59, this time deteriorating the belltower. It was restored in 1930. The

catacombs Catacombs are man-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place is a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman Empire. Etymology and history The first place to be referred ...

of the Cathedral have served as a resting place for many important figures in Ecuador's history, such as independence leader

Antonio José de Sucre Antonio José de Sucre y Alcalá (; 3 February 1795 – 4 June 1830), known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" ( en, "Grand Marshal of Ayacucho"), was a Venezuelan independence leader who served as the president of Peru and as the second p ...

(1795–1830), who is laid to rest in his own Mausoleum Chapel. On 13 January 1848 the Diocese of Quito was elevated to an

archdiocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associat ...

. The small altar of ''Nuestra Señora de los Dolores'' (English: "Our Lady of Sorrows") has a plaque showing where President

Gabriel García Moreno Gabriel Gregorio Fernando José María García Moreno y Morán de Butrón (24 December 1821 – 6 August 1875), was an Ecuadorian politician and aristocrat who twice served as President of Ecuador (1861–65 and 1869–75) and was assassinated d ...

was shot in 1875. The murder of the Bishop of Quito, José Ignacio Checa y Barba, took place here during the mass of

Good Friday Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Holy ...

, 30 March 1877, when he was poisoned with

strychnine Strychnine (, , US chiefly ) is a highly toxic, colorless, bitter, crystalline alkaloid used as a pesticide, particularly for killing small vertebrates such as birds and rodents. Strychnine, when inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the e ...

dissolved in the consecrated wine. The cathedral is also the burial place of several other presidents of the Republic, as well as of bishops and priests who died in the diocese.

20th century

Along with the early 19th century coffered ceilings, the transverse arches of the side naves were replaced in the mid-20th century. (The latter largely destroyed a curious mural painting which perhaps dated from the 17th century.) The tall ''campanario'' (belfry) was restored in 1930. In the wake of a 1987 earthquake, the municipality of Quito has structurally restored the deep foundations of the cathedral with

micropile A deep foundation is a type of foundation that transfers building loads to the earth farther down from the surface than a shallow foundation does to a subsurface layer or a range of depths. A pile or piling is a vertical structural elemen ...

technology. In 1995 the Cathedral of Quito was elevated to the Cathedral of Ecuador, making it the seniormost Catholic church in the country. Restorations of the artium and the parapet were undertaken in 1997 and 1999 respectively.

Description

The cathedral is a white-painted monumental church with a single high belltower offset to the right of the main entrance. Built on a plan comprising three longitudinal

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-typ ...

s surmounted by semi-

ogival An ogive ( ) is the roundly tapered end of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional object. Ogive curves and surfaces are used in engineering, architecture and woodworking. Etymology The earliest use of the word ''ogive'' is found in the 13th c ...

arches on square pillars, the basic spatial structure of the cathedral is typical of the 16th century. Based upon interior features — especially the details of the pillars, arches, and the carved and coffered ceiling — some experts assert that the cathedral should be characterized as

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 ...

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 M ...

in style. It has Gothic features in the pointed arches of its naves, as well as in the

ambulatory The ambulatory ( la, ambulatorium, ‘walking place’) is the covered passage around a cloister or the processional way around the east end of a cathedral or large church and behind the high altar. The first ambulatory was in France in the 11th ...

that surrounds the presbytery.

Exterior

In a deviation from Spanish convention, the Cathedral actually has two main entrances: one at mid-

that faces the Plaza and the other, with the belltower, at the northwest facade facing Calle Garcia Moreno. The axis has a southeast–northwest orientation due to the local topography: 16th century ravines prevented the main facade from facing the plaza, as is customary. The elaborate arched side-entrance and its semi-circular staircase facing the Plaza were an early 19th-century addition. Known as the Carondelet Arch, this portal is the main interface between Cathedral and square. The relationship is also underlined by a longitudinal stone parapet running the length of the building on that side (and decorated with spheres, pyramids, etc.) which preserves the difference in level between the Cathedral floor and that of the Plaza. Three attractive domes dressed in glazed green ceramic rise atop the

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 with ...

, the

high altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in pagan ...

, and the Carondelet Arch. The transept dome is itself surmounted by an iron rooster

weather vane A wind vane, weather vane, or weathercock is an instrument used for showing the direction of the wind. It is typically used as an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building. The word ''vane'' comes from the Old English word , m ...

, subject of several local legends. (These Neo-Classical domes, along with the neo-classical balustrade sculptures, various arches, Ionic pilasters, and the semi-circular Plaza staircase are modernizing 19th century additions.) Plaques on the exterior walls of the Cathedral commemorate the fourth centenary (1934) of the founding of the city: first, the site is celebrated as the launching point of the Amazon expedition of

Francisco de Orellana Francisco de Orellana Bejarano Pizarro y Torres de Altamirano (; 1511 – November 1546) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador. In one of the most improbably successful voyages in known history, Orellana managed to sail the length of the Amaz ...

(1511–1546). ("It is the glory of Quito to have discovered the great River of the Amazons.") The next five name the five founders of the city. Then: "Quito, Patrimony of Humankind". Finally, "Cathedral, Main church construction, 16th century (1545–1572); Restoration, 17th–18th & 20th centuries". File:Catedral metropolitana de Quito - panoramio - Quito magnífico.jpg, Bell tower File:Catedral de Quito, Quito, Ecuador, 2015-07-22, DD 79.JPG, Roof, domes, lantern roofs and bell tower File:PortonCatedral.JPG, The northeast elevation of the cathedral, on the Plaza, is dominated by the "Arch of Carondelet" entrance (built in 1797) and its staircase. File:Museo de la Catedral de Quito, Quito, Ecuador, 2015-07-22, DD 97.JPG, Cathedral's museum

Interior

Inside, the three naves are supported by pointed arches, which in turn are supported by pillars with square bases. The central nave has cedar panelling betraying Moorish influences. An extraordinary wooden coffered ceiling is supported by a golden frieze and beautiful paintings hang among the arches. The right nave opens into several chapels along the wall, each surmounted by domes with skylights. The chapels, in order, are: All Souls; Calvary; The Denial of Peter; Saint Peter, First Pope of the Church; The Sacred Family. Here also is a large wooden carved door, in a semi-circular arch, leading to '' La Iglesia de El Sagrario'' hurch of the Sanctuary a 17th-century chapel attached to the main building which is usually locked. (''El Sagrario'' is accessed from outside the cathedral.) Works by artists of the Quito School of Art, based in the nearby Church and Convent of St. Francis, adorn the interior of the cathedral. The side

reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for e ...

, covered with goldleaf, were carved by the early masters of that school and in their niches are placed images of saints and martyrs. The large painting of the ''Assumption of the Virgin'', from 1793, located in the upper

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...

, is the work of Manuel de Samaniego, all in sky and blue. The altarpiece of the Chapel of All Souls has the notable sculptural group known as ''The Denial of St. Peter'', attributed to Father Carlos. Other notable Cathedral artworks include the ''Altarpiece (Retablo) of Santa Ana'' (comprising images of

Saint Joaquín Joachim (; ''Yəhōyāqīm'', "he whom Yahweh has set up"; ; ) was, according to Christian tradition, the husband of Saint Anne and the father of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The story of Joachim and Anne first appears in the Biblical apocrypha ...

Saint Joseph Joseph (; el, Ἰωσήφ, translit=Ioséph) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. The Gospels also name some brothers ...

, and

Saint Ann According to Christian apocryphal and Islamic tradition, Saint Anne was the mother of Mary and the maternal grandmother of Jesus. Mary's mother is not named in the canonical gospels. In writing, Anne's name and that of her husband Joachim come o ...

and dating to the 18th century); Bernardo Rodríguez’s ''Cure of the Lame by Saint Peter''; the 1734 sculpture ''Inmaculada'' of

Bernardo de Legarda Bernardo de Legarda (c. 1700 – 1 June 1773) was one of the most important artists of the Quito School movement. Biography Legarda was a mestizo artist and the one who best personified the art of sculpture in the capital of Quito during hi ...

(the replica of which watches over Quito from the top of El Panecillo); also, the ''Adoration of the Three Magi'' and the ''Cure of the Crippled'' (a mural). The high altar, said to be entirely of gold, shows both Baroque and

patterns. There area works of art by the colonials Miguel de Santiago, Manuel Chili "Capiscara" and Bernardo Rodríguez, who painted the fresco with biblical images in the central nave of the cathedral Further down, following the curve of the apse, the row of cedar chairs of the Cabildo, dated 1794, painted and covered in gold by magnificent artisans. File:Catedral de Quito, Quito, Ecuador, 2015-07-22, DD 99.JPG, View of the main nave from the altar (

pipe organ The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks' ...

from the 18th century) File:Catedral de Quito, Quito, Ecuador, 2015-07-22, DD 72-74 HDR.JPG, 17th-century

artesonado Artesonado or Spanish ceiling is a term for coffer "a type of intricately joined wooden ceiling in which supplementary laths are interlaced into the rafters supporting the roof to form decorative geometric patterns", found in Spanish architecture. I ...

of the main nave File:Catedral de Quito, Quito, Ecuador, 2015-07-22, DD 75-77 HDR.JPG, The 18th-century Altarpiece of Santa Ana File:Museo de la Catedral de Quito, Quito, Ecuador, 2015-07-22, DD 94-96 HDR.JPG, Archiepiscopal library File:ALTAR DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LOS DOLORES.JPG, Altar of the

Our Lady of Sorrows 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 ...

File:Catedral de Quito - detalle del púlpito.jpg, Pulpit File:Centro Histórico, Quito Calle Venezuela, Quito pic b4.JPG, A colonial carved door File:Catedral Metropolitana, Quito (museum) pic ba7.JPG, Colonial Quito School painting in the cathedral museum

El Arrastre de Caudas

On the Wednesday of

Holy Week Holy Week ( la, Hebdomada Sancta or , ; grc, Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, translit=Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas, lit=Holy and Great Week) is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. In Eastern Churches, w ...

, a liturgy is held called "", roughly "the dragging of the trains", said to be unique to this cathedral. It derives from ancient Roman practice, in which a banner was passed over the body of a deceased general and then flown over his troops in a symbolic transfer of his qualities to them. The ceremony originated in Seville and passed to its suffragan dioceses of Quito and Lima, surviving only in Quito since the sixteenth century. The "cauda" is a black cloth several meters in length that sweeps the floor behind each of the cathedral canons as they process through the aisles of the cathedral as part of a larger procession of clerics including the archbishop carrying a relic of the

True Cross The True Cross is the cross upon which Jesus was said to have been crucified, particularly as an object of religious veneration. There are no early accounts that the apostles or early Christians preserved the physical cross themselves, althoug ...

. A second large cloth banner, black with a red cross, covers the altar and then is waved by the archbishop over the cathedral canons who have prostrated themselves after processing with their trains and then over the congregation.

References

External links

Webpage
on Quito's tourism website {{DEFAULTSORT:Cathedral Of Quito Roman Catholic churches in Quito 16th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Ecuador Roman Catholic churches completed in 1799 Roman Catholic cathedrals in Ecuador 1535 establishments in the Spanish Empire Baroque church buildings in Ecuador Mudéjar architecture