Discover through a virtual journey, the history of the five cathedrals of Galicia.
If we talk about the cathedrals of Galiciawill undoubtedly come to mind that of Santiago, the great temple of the community and one of the most important in Christianity. But there are other cathedrals in Galicia, full of history, with a glorious past and that house a multitude of historical treasures.
A cathedral is an episcopal seat, in fact, the rank of the temple comes from the term “cathedra” which is the chair of the bishop during religious ceremonies. That is, if we talk about five cathedrals of Galicia is that there are five Galician bishoprics. And these have their headquarters in Santiago de Compostela, Ourense, Tui, Lugo and Mondoñedo.
Here we present a virtual visit to each of them:
Santiago de Compostela
Without a doubt, of all the cathedrals in Galicia, Compostela is the most important and famous. And not only that, it is one of the most outstanding temples of Spanish heritage, a practically obligatory place to visit during a vacation or pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago.
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is the most outstanding work of Romanesque art in Spain. It is also the final goal of all the Caminos de Santiago, which for centuries have led Christian pilgrims to the tomb of an apostle. As if that were not enough, it was the inaugural stone for the construction of a monumental city, Santiago de Compostela, which was born in a sacred forest at the end of the world with the vocation of a Holy City and a World Heritage Site.
History
Today, with a thousand years of existence lived to the rhythm of Compostela’s extraordinary history, the Cathedral appears as a complex set of spaces capable of rewarding the faith of walkers with its powerful spirituality and its beauty to visitors from the world.
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is the desired destination for thousands of pilgrims who arrive every year from all over the globe. Something they have been doing for centuries, since the apostle’s tomb was discovered here in 814. It was then that this temple began to be built, which over time has become an artistic treasure with works such as the Pórtico de la Gloria or its immense Baroque façade facing the Plaza del Obradoiro.
Bernardo el Viejo, Admirable Master, and Roberto began the construction of the Romanesque Cathedral in the year 1075, under the reign of Alfonso VI and being Bishop D. Diego Peláez. After this initial stage, various vicissitudes suspend or slow down the works until they take on a new impulse with Archbishop Gelmírez, in the year 1100, in charge of the Master of Silversmiths; Little by little, the construction of the Cathedral advanced throughout the 12th century, entrusting Maestro Mateo in 1168 with its completion, including the western closure and the construction of the Choir in the main nave, so that in 1211 the consecration of the Basilica is celebrated with the presence of Alfonso IX.
Although the fundamental medieval structure has been maintained, over the centuries the Cathedral has changed its physiognomy with the construction of the Cloister and its annexed spaces in the Renaissance and, above all in the Baroque period, in which works such as the main chapel, the organs, the closure of the header or the façade of the Obradoiro among other important performances. During Neoclassicism, the new façade of La Azabachería was built and in the last hundred years various actions have continued to be carried out.
Virtual tour: Santiago’s cathedral
Tui
The existence of a cathedral has nothing to do with the provincial capitals or other secular administrative instances. It is something more related to the history of the Church and where its rulers and demarcations once settled. For this reason, most of the cathedrals of Galicia are not found in current provincial capitals. And an example is that of Tui.
Tui is a border town with Portugal on the banks of the Miño River. That border character led to the construction of this castle-like cathedral. It is the Cathedral of Santa María, already originating in paleo-Christian times. Although what we see today is a medieval temple, which unites both the Romanesque and the Gothic styles.
The beginning of the construction is dated at the end of the 11th century (privileges of the Infanta Urraca in 1071 and of the counts of Galicia, Raimundo and Urraca, in 1095). The Romanesque plan and the capitals will influence the entire region of the medieval bishopric of Tui, between the Lima River and the Vigo estuary. The Gothic cloister, from the second half of the 13th century, is the largest preserved medieval cloister in Galicia. Inside the cloister, the only existing Romanesque chapter house in Galicia and one of the largest of its kind in Spain is preserved. Part of its goldsmithing would be made by Jewish and converted silversmiths in the 15th and 16th centuries (Gothic chalice, coconut ciborium, sceptres of dignities, acetre, etc.).
The collection of Baroque liturgical furniture is one of the most interesting in Spain: choir stalls (1699), historiated doors (1707), sacristy drawers (1712), chapter house stalls (1712), San Telmo organs and Santiago (1714) and Eucharistic Monument of Holy Thursday (1775).
Here you can know it: Tui Cathedral
Ourense
Of all the cathedrals in Galicia, this is one of the most unknown treasures, as in general the entire city of Orense. But do not hesitate to discover it.
The Cathedral of Ourense is part of the living history of the city and of the entire Diocese, with the first bishops being named from the 6th century on. Considered one of the great Romanesque temples in Spain, its secluded beauty, sober elegance and balanced light surprise the visitor and the faithful who enter the temple.
It constitutes the main monument of this populous Galician inland city. Occupying the center of the historic quarter where it is easily recognizable for its unique late-Gothic dome with an octagonal elevation.
History
There are two theories about the erection of the powerful cathedral factory during the 12th and 13th centuries -the Consecration of the High Altar dates from 1188-. Some studies place it on the same site as the primitive basilica from the Swabian period. While according to other authors the old Swabian temple would be located in the place that is now occupied by the church of Santa María Madre, in the construction of the baroque façade of this church some old marble columns and capitals were reused that could well have formed part of that primitive cathedral, a Swabian temple that introduced the dedication of the episcopal seat of Ourense.
The predominant style is Romanesque, with influences from the austere Cistercian, already with constructive forms that show the swan song of the Romanesque at the gates of the constructive thrust of the new Gothic.
During the 14th and 15th centuries, the different spaces of cathedral architecture, with marked medieval features, were completed. Rising between 1499 and 1505 the beautiful dome following the flamboyant Gothic design, which over the centuries, will become the most characteristic external sign of the Cathedral.
Interior
As for the interior of the temple, it has a Latin cross plan. In its walls the preserved art extends from the Middle Ages to practically our days. Today only the central one remains of the primitive triple apse head, which is joined to the three naves separated by cruciform pillars, bent and pointed arches, with ribbed vaults.
In short, the Cathedral of San Martín de Ourense is a silent witness to almost 1,000 years of the city’s history. A visit to the Cathedral is a journey through centuries of history, art and devotion under the naves of the temple that shelter one of the communities with the most history and tradition in all of Spain.
As outstanding spaces we must mention the Main Chapel, the Chapel of Santo Cristo, the Portico of Paradise and the Cathedral Museum.
However, the entire cathedral is worth a walk, starting with the ambulatory, which consists of several chapels. The one of the Asunción or of the Argiz stands out, which inside houses the chapel of Cristo de los Desamparados (Romanesque image from 1200); or the north side, the chapel of the Virgen de las Nieves (16th century).
Here you can know it: Cathedral of Ourense
Lugo
Lugo, a city that offers you unique monuments such as its exceptional Roman walls, but also others that are as unknown as they are interesting. That is the case of its cathedral.
The construction of the Cathedral of Lugo lasted more than a century, which is why it has such a great mix of Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance and Neoclassical styles. The master Raimundo de Monforte began some works that lasted from the year 1129 to 1273.
Construction
The building has a Latin cross plan structure with three naves, transept and ambulatory with five apse chapels. On the left side of the entrance to the cathedral is the Old Tower, Gothic, topped by a body of Renaissance bells, completed in 1580.
It is located on the primitive church of Santa María. It conserves in Romanesque style the central transept, most of the main nave and the arms. From its main façade, you can access the upper part of the wall through the door of Santiago.
The Girola, the Main Chapel and the chapels of the apses are Gothic, from the 14th century. The Sacristy, the chapel of the Virgen de los Ojos Grandes and the cloister are Baroque. The main façade is neoclassical from the end of the 18th century, made by Julián Sánchez Bort.
The main altarpiece is one of its jewels made by Cornelis de Holanda, which was damaged during the Lisbon earthquake. Reason why it is divided into several fragments.
The Chapel of the Virgen de los Ojos Grandes, 1726-1736 in the Baroque style, the work of Fernando de Casas Novoa, author of the façade of the Obradoiro de Santiago de Compostela. Patron Saint of Lugo, it is found in the ambulatory, and the Image of the Virgin is a carving from the 15th century in polychrome granite.
The most important piece of the Cathedral is the North Door, formed by a portico built in 1500; the door is made up of a two-lobed tympanum with a capital, from which hangs the Holy Supper and an Image of Christ reading, from the 13th century. The ironwork of the North Gate is considered by archaeologists to be one of the most important in Spain.
The Cathedral of Lugo has the impressive Choir, with 66 seats, the work of Francisco Moure in 1624, located in the middle of the central nave.
Here you can know it: Cathedral of Lugo
Mondoñedo
The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, declared a National Monument in 1902, construction began in 1219 and was consecrated by Bishop Martín in 1248. The transept and sacristy were built later in the Gothic style.
Between the 16th and 17th centuries, the ambulatory was opened to obtain greater width and the lateral naves were extended. In the 18th century an important modification was made to the façade. The construction of two three-section towers topped with domes and one more section is added to each side of the transept, resulting in an amalgamation of various architectural styles.
Rectangular in plan, it has three naves, transept, chancel, rectangular ambulatory and cloister, made of granite masonry and covered with slate. Facade with the primitive Romanesque doorway with two archivolts and six columns, a central ogival rose window and two Baroque towers on each side, with the figure of San Rosendo Obispo (patron saint of Mondoñedo) at the top. Interior: Rococo main altarpiece, wall paintings, choir, organs and cloister.
Here you can know it: Cathedral of Mondoñedo
#Discover #cathedrals #Galicia #Guia
