La Seo Cathedral
Encyclopedia
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, Spain. It is part of the World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon
Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon
Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon is an aesthetic trend in the Mudéjar style, which is centered in Aragon and has been recognized in some representative buildings as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO....
.
The cathedral is located on the Plaza de la Seo and is commonly known as La Seo (Aragonese for "see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
") to distinguish it from the nearby El Pilar, whose name (pillar) is a reference to an apparition of Mary in Zaragoza (also known as Saragossa). The two share co-cathedral status in metropolitan Zaragoza.
Origin
The location of the Seo has its roots in the old Roman forumForum (Roman)
A forum was a public square in a Roman municipium, or any civitas, reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, along with the buildings used for shops and the stoas used for open stalls...
. Unlike other Roman city forums, the forum of Caesaraugusta was not located at the confluence of the Cardus and the Decumanus, but instead near the Ebro river, 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
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
of the cathedral. There have been no remains found of either a Visigoth
Visigoth
The Visigoths were one of two main branches of the Goths, the Ostrogoths being the other. These tribes were among the Germans who spread through the late Roman Empire during the Migration Period...
or a Mozarabic church.
The Mosque
Hanas ben Abdallah as San'ani (? – 718), a disciple of someone close to Mohammed, built the main mosque of Saraqusta al Baida, Zaragoza la Blanca, according to al-Humauydí (1029–1095). The main mosque is certainly one of the oldest of Al-AndalusAl-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...
. The edifice underwent two additions, one in the 9th century and one in the 11th century, under the Taifa
Taifa
In the history of the Iberian Peninsula, a taifa was an independent Muslim-ruled principality, usually an emirate or petty kingdom, though there was one oligarchy, of which a number formed in the Al-Andalus after the final collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba in 1031.-Rise:The origins of...
king of Zaragoza, Mundir I. During the restoration completed in 1999, a number of remains were discovered, such as the impression of the minaret
Minaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
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
Alfonso the Battler
Alfonso I , called the Battler or the Warrior , was the king of Aragon and Navarre from 1104 until his death in 1134. He was the second son of King Sancho Ramírez and successor of his brother Peter I...
did not lead to the immediate demolition of the mosque. He gave the Muslims
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
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
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
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 transeptTransept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
and three naves ending in apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
s, constructed of stone, owed much stylistically to the Cathedral of Jaca
Cathedral of Jaca
The Cathedral of St Peter the Apostle is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jaca located in Jaca, province of Huesca, Spain....
, from which it took various elements. Besides the church building itself, it had an archive, a refectory
Refectory
A refectory 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...
, a nursery, and two cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
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. The king, who the previous night had kept watch over his armaments in the Aljafería
Aljafería
The Aljafería Palace is a fortified medieval Islamic palace built during the second half of the 11th century in the Moorish taifa of Zaragoza of Al-Andalus, present day Zaragoza, Spain. It was the residence of the Banu Hud dynasty during the era of Abu Jaffar Al-Muqtadir after abolishing Banu...
, 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 (statutes) and liberties of the Kingdom of Aragon. The last king to be crowned in La Seo was Charles I
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
. Later kings needed only to swear to the fueros. Royal baptisms, weddings, and burials were also performed in the cathedral.
The Gothic-Mudéjar Cathedral
In 1318 Pope John XXIIPope John XXII
Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...
created the archbishopric of Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, making it independent of the see of Tarragona
Tarragona
Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
, 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 (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
Mudéjar is the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity...
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 AntipopeAntipope
An antipope is a person who opposes a legitimately elected or sitting Pope and makes a significantly accepted competing claim to be the Pope, the Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church. At times between the 3rd and mid-15th century, antipopes were typically those supported by a...
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
Papal Tiara
The Papal Tiara, also known incorrectly as the Triple Tiara, or in Latin as the Triregnum, in Italian as the Triregno and as the Trirègne in French, is the three-tiered jewelled papal crown, supposedly of Byzantine and Persian origin, that is a prominent symbol of the papacy...
. 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
Pedro de Arbués was an official of the Spanish Inquisition who was assassinated in the Zaragoza Cathedral in 1485 in an alleged plot by conversos and Jews...
, the canon and head Inquisitor of Aragón
Spanish Inquisition
The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition , commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition , was a tribunal established in 1480 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms, and to replace the Medieval...
, 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
Spanish Inquisition
The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition , commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition , was a tribunal established in 1480 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms, and to replace the Medieval...
had in Aragón
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
, 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
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
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. Pedro de Arbués was sainted by Pope Pius IX 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. Musicians Melchor Robledo, Sebastián Aguilera de Heredia
Sebastian Aguilera de Heredia
Sebastian Aguilera de Heredia was a Spanish monk, musician and composer.He was first the organist at the cathedral in Huesca from 1585 to 1603, and then moved to a more prestigious position as maestro de música at La Seo Cathedral in Saragossa. He published a collection of works in 1618, and...
, Pedro Ruimonte
Pedro Ruimonte
Pedro Ruimonte was a Spanish composer and musician who spent much of his career in the Low Countries.-Early years:...
, Diego Pontac, Jusépe Ximénez and Andrés de Sola, among others, worked and composed there.
Recent centuries
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
s of El Pilar and of La Seo was well-known in the 17th century. The cathedral chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
of El Pilar even brought a suit to win the episcopal seat, a suit that was decided by Philip IV
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
in favor of La Seo. The disputes would not be resolved until, in 1676, Pope Clement X
Pope Clement X
Pope Clement X , born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, was Pope from 29 April 1670 to 22 July 1676.-Early life:Emilio Altieri was born in Rome, the son of Lorenzo Altieri and Victoria Delphini, a Venetian lady...
made the Solomon-like decision to merge the two chapters via the Bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
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
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
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
Ventura Rodríguez Tizón 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 Aranjuez.-Major works:...
.
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 was built on the site of the ancient RomanRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
forum
Forum (Roman)
A forum was a public square in a Roman municipium, or any civitas, reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, along with the buildings used for shops and the stoas used for open stalls...
of Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
and of the main mosque of the Moorish
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
city of Saraqusta, elements of whose minaret
Minaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
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
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
completed the tower.
The cathedral is a mixture of styles, from the Romanesque apse (12th century) to the Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
tower and Neo-Classical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
main door (18th century), passing through Mudéjar
Mudéjar
Mudéjar is the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity...
and Gothic. 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 apseApseIn architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. The Roman interior of the apse still remains, but is now covered by the Gothic altarpieceAltarpieceAn altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
. In the sacristySacristyA sacristy is a room for keeping vestments and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.The sacristy is usually located inside the church, but in some cases it is an annex or separate building...
are the "olifante" by Gaston IV of BéarnGaston IV of BéarnGaston IV was viscount of Béarn from 1090 to 1131. He was called "le Croisé" due to his participation in the First Crusade....
, built in ivory in the 11th century, and the relic-busts of Valerius of SaragossaValerius of SaragossaSaint Valerius of Saragossa is the patron saint of Zaragoza. He was bishop of this city from 290 until his death. He assisted at the Council of Iliberis....
(patron saint of Zaragoza), Saint Vincent of Saragossa, and St. Lawrence donated by the antipope Benedict XIII. - GothicGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
: 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 alabasterAlabasterAlabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
made by Pere JohanPere JohanPere Johan or Pere Joan was a Catalan Gothic sculptor.He was the son of sculptor Jordi de Déu, a former slave and disciple of sculptor Jaume Cascalls...
and Hans de Suabia. Choir stalls. Museum of flamencoFlandersFlanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
tapestries from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, one of the three largest such collections in the world. - MudéjarMudéjarMudéjar is the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity...
: exterior wall of the Parish of San Miguel and its interior roof, gilded with wood. The AragonAragonAragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
ese Mudéjar has been named a World Heritage SiteWorld Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. - RenaissanceRenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
: In the Parroquieta of San Miguel, the tomb of the archbishopArchbishopAn archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Don López Fernández de Luna from the 16th century. DomeDomeA dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
with Mudéjar influences, built in the first third of the 16th century to replace the older Moorish dome. - BaroqueBaroqueThe Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
: Tower and gate.
The cathedral's museum is currently (as of 2006) being restored and is closed to the public.
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 SnowsOur Lady of the SnowsOur Lady of the Snows may refer to:* Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, in Rome* Dedication of Saint Mary Major, the feast celebrating the dedication of this church, renamed from the Dedication of Our Lady of the Snows in 1969...
, a late Gothic chapel with Baroque altar and altar paintings by Francisco Ximeno. - Chapel of San ValeroSaint ValeriusSaint Valerius is the name of:*Valerius of Saragossa , patron saint of Zaragoza*Valerius of Trèves , semi-legendary bishop of Trier*Valerius and Rufinus , martyrs...
(Valerius). Baroque entryway of gilded wood from the seventeenth century with scenes of the saints Valerius (patron of the city), VincentVincent of SaragossaSaint Vincent of Saragossa, also known as Vincent Martyr, Vincent of Huesca or Vincent the Deacon, is the patron saint of Lisbon. His feast day is 22 January in the Roman Catholic Church and Anglican Communion and 11 November in the Eastern Orthodox Churches...
, and LawrenceSaint LawrenceLawrence of Rome was one of the seven deacons of ancient Rome who were martyred during the persecution of Valerian in 258.- Holy Chalice :...
. Walls were painted by García Ferrer. - Chapel of Saint HelenHelena of ConstantinopleSaint Helena also known as Saint Helen, Helena Augusta or Helena of Constantinople was the consort of Emperor Constantius, and the mother of Emperor Constantine I...
, or the Chapel of the Most Holy Sacrament. The altar, entryway, and paintings by Lupicini of Florence are all Baroque works of the seventeenth century. - Chapel of the archangels MichaelMichael (archangel)Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
, Gabriel, and RaphaelRaphael (archangel)Raphael is an archangel of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, who in the Judeo-Christian tradition performs all manners of healing....
. The chapel was constructed by Garbriel Zaporta 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 AnchietaJuan de AnchietaJuan de Anchieta was a leading Spanish Basque composer of the Renaissance, at the Royal Court Chaplaincy in Granada of Queen Isabel I of Castile.-History:...
, 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, 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. 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 columnSolomonic columnThe Solomonic column, also called Barley-sugar column, is a helical column, characterized by a spiraling twisting shaft like a corkscrew...
s is a sculpture of Saint Pedro Arbués done by Juan RamírezJuan RamírezJuan Ramírez or Juan Ramirez may refer to:*Juan Andrés Ramírez , Uruguayan politician and lawyer*Juan Andres Noguera Ramirez, Paraguayan football player who is currently playing for Pelita Jaya...
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. BernardBernard of ClairvauxBernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian order.After the death of his mother, Bernard sought admission into the Cistercian order. Three years later, he was sent to found a new abbey at an isolated clearing in a glen known as the Val...
. This is one of the greatest works of the Aragonese Renaissance. Between 1549 and 1555, it contained the tombs of the archbishop Hernando de AragónHernando de AragónHernando de Aragón y de Gurrea , Archbishop of Zaragoza and Lieutenant General of Aragon, was an Aragonese humanist and historian.- Family :...
, who ordered its construction, along with that of his mother Ana de Gurrea. Juan VizcaínoJuan VizcaínoJuan Vizcaíno Morcillo is a retired Spanish footballer who played mainly as a defensive midfielder....
created the sepulchre of the archbishop, and Juan de Liceire did that of his mother. The altar decorations for the Chapel of San Bruno 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. BenedictBenedict of NursiaSaint Benedict of Nursia is a Christian saint, honored by the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of Europe and students.Benedict founded twelve communities for monks at Subiaco, about to the east of Rome, before moving to Monte Cassino in the mountains of southern Italy. There is no...
. 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 from the sixteenth century. Renaissance grating by Hernando de ÁvilaHernando de ÁvilaHernando de Ávila, painter and sculptor to Philip II of Spain, flourished in the middle of the 16th century. He was a pupil of Francisco Comontes. He executed, in 1568, an altar-piece of 'St...
. - Chapel of Saints Justa and Rufina. Paintings by Juan GalvánJuan GalvánJuan Galván Was a Spanish soldier and explorer who stressed as an ensign and explorer inSan Antonio, Texas.- Biography :Juan Galvan was born in the eighteenth century, however, the precise place and date of birth is unknown. It is known that he began his military career around 1710...
hang over the walls. The painting of the saints was done by Francisco CamiloFrancisco CamiloFrancisco Camilo was a Spanish painter. Camilo was the son of an Italian who had settled at Madrid. When his father died, his mother remarried, and Camilo became the stepson of the painter Pedro de las Cuevas....
in 1644. - Chapel of St. VincentVincent of SaragossaSaint Vincent of Saragossa, also known as Vincent Martyr, Vincent of Huesca or Vincent the Deacon, is the patron saint of Lisbon. His feast day is 22 January in the Roman Catholic Church and Anglican Communion and 11 November in the Eastern Orthodox Churches...
. Baroque doorway. The sculpture of St. Vincent is from roughly 1760 and was created by Carlos SalasCarlos SalasCarlos Salas Pérez is a Cuban former volleyball player who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics and in the 1980 Summer Olympics....
. - 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 organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
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 (Mary) and St. JohnJohn the ApostleJohn the Apostle, John the Apostle, John the Apostle, (Aramaic Yoħanna, (c. 6 - c. 100) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of James, another of the Twelve Apostles...
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. MarthaMarthaMartha of Bethany is a biblical figure described in the Gospels of Luke and John. Together with her siblings Lazarus and Mary, she is described as living in the village of Bethany near Jerusalem...
, St. Matthew, St. John the Baptist, St. Thomas of VillanovaThomas of VillanovaSt. Thomas of Villanova, O.S.A. , was a preacher, ascetic, writer andSpanish friar of the Order of Saint Augustine....
, Nuestra Señora de la Merced, Saint Leonard of Noblac, Saint PhilipSaint PhilipSaint Philip, São Filipe, or San Felipe may refer to:People* Saint Philip the Apostle* Saint Philip the Evangelist also known as Philip the Deacon* Saint Philip Neri* Saint Philip Benitius , from Florence, 13th century...
, and Saint Orosia.
Apses:
- Chapel of the Virgen Blanca (White Virgin). Baroque altar decorations of wood with paintings by Jusepe Martínez (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 JohanPere JohanPere Johan or Pere Joan was a Catalan Gothic sculptor.He was the son of sculptor Jordi de Déu, a former slave and disciple of sculptor Jaume Cascalls...
, Francisco Gomar, and Hans Piet D'anso. It can be considered one of the greatest works of European Gothic sculpture. - Chapel of St. Peter and St. PaulPaul of TarsusPaul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
. Altar decorations of gilded wood with relief scenes of the lives of Saints Peter and Paul.