Basílica de Santa Maria de Castelló d'Empúries facts for kids

The Santa Maria Basilica (also known as the Basílica de Santa Maria de Castelló d'Empúries) is a very old and important church in Castelló d'Empúries, a town in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. For many years, people have called it the "Empordà Cathedral," even though the Pope never officially gave it that title. It's the second biggest church on the Costa Brava coast, right after the Girona Cathedral, and it's certainly large enough to be a cathedral.

This amazing building is made in the Gothic style. Its construction started in the 1200s, replacing an even older church from the 900s. You can still see parts of that older church, like the bottom floors of the bell tower. The Basilica was finished in the 1400s, when its beautiful marble front and the fancy altarpiece inside were completed. It even has a museum called El Tresor, which means "The Treasure," full of old religious jewelry. The church is dedicated to the Virgin of Candelera.

History of the Basilica

After the ancient city of Empúries was destroyed, Castelló became the main town for the local counts. This made Castelló a very important and protected place, surrounded by strong walls. The counts wanted their town to be the center for a bishop, which is why they built such a grand church.

Early Beginnings

The first mention of a church dedicated to Santa Maria in Castelló d'Empúries was in a document from the year 1007. This was a Romanesque-style church. It was officially made sacred, or "consecrated," in 1064.

Building the Gothic Church

The current Gothic church was built in the same spot as the older Romanesque one. A skilled architect named Ramón de Xartres led the project. Construction began on February 13, 1261, during the time of Count Ponç IV of Empúries.

The main structure of the church was mostly finished by the early 1400s. That's when the impressive front of the church, with its large marble entrance, was built. The smaller altars on the sides were also added, and the beautiful alabaster altarpiece for the main altar was designed. Even though the counts of Empúries tried many times, the church never officially became a cathedral.

Later Additions

In the 1600s and 1700s, two more chapels were added to the sides of the church. These were called the Puríssima Sang (meaning "Immaculate Heart") and Nostra Senyora dels Dolors (meaning "Our Lady of Sorrows").

Structure of the Basilica

The Santa Maria Basilica is built in a "hall church" style. This means that all three main parts of the church – the wider central area and the two side areas – are about the same height. This design was brought to Spain by Cistercian monks.

Inside the Church

The church has a rectangular shape. Along its sides, there are small chapels built between the strong support walls, called buttresses. These buttresses have stone gargoyles that help drain water away.

The ceiling of each of the three main areas has nine pointed, arched vaults. These vaults are supported by tall pillars. You can see typical Gothic features like "rainbow arches" and four "ribs" that meet at a central stone, called a "keystone."

The large windows at the back of the church were once made of colorful stained glass. Today, only one original stained glass window remains. The others are covered with thin, see-through alabaster sheets.

The main altar is a large, sacred stone table, over three meters long. It stands on five columns and is used for church services. It used to be further back, behind an iron gate, but in 1973, it was moved closer to the people attending services.

The Grand Entrance and Bell Tower

The front entrance of the church is truly grand. It was built in the 1400s and is thought to be the work of a master builder named Antoni Antigó. This front part has three sections: two bell towers and a central area.

The central part features the main entrance, or "portal," which is framed by two tall, pointed decorations called pinnacles. Its beauty comes from six arched layers, called "archivolts," that frame the space above the door. This space, called the "tympanum," shows a sculpture of the Adoration of the Magi (the wise men visiting baby Jesus).

Above the six archivolts, there are twelve small spaces, or "niches," which hold sculptures of the twelve apostles. All these sculptures are carved with incredible detail. Above the main entrance, at the very top of the central section, there is a large, round Gothic window called a "rosette." This window lets a lot of light into the church.

The bell tower is on the north side of the church. It was built in the 1100s or 1200s. It's a tall tower, 36 meters high, divided into five floors. Its design is similar to other bell towers influenced by the Lombard style.

See also

In Spanish: Basílica de Santa María de Castellón de Ampurias para niños