Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buenos Aires Metropolitan CathedralCatedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires |
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Main façade of the cathedral. Note the absence of towers, the Classical portico and the high dome
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| District | Archdiocese of Buenos Aires |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Cathedral |
| Year consecrated | 1791 |
| Location | |
| Location | Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Completed | 1791 |
The Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral (or Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires in Spanish) is the most important Catholic church in Buenos Aires, Argentina. You can find it in the city center, right next to Plaza de Mayo. It's the main church for the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and the most important Catholic church in all of Argentina.
This cathedral has been rebuilt many times since it first started in the 1500s. The building you see today mixes different styles. It has an 18th-century nave (the main part of the church) and dome. Its front, or façade, looks like a serious 19th-century Neoclassical temple without towers. Inside, you'll find beautiful 18th-century statues and altarpieces. There's also lots of fancy decoration from the Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Baroque periods.
Contents
History of the Cathedral's Design
Early Buildings
When Buenos Aires was first founded in 1580, a spot facing the main square was set aside for the town's main church. This is the same place where the cathedral stands today. The current building is the last in a long line of churches that have been on this site.
The first church was a simple building made of wood and mud. It was replaced in 1605. But this second building also started to fall apart by 1616. So, it had to be rebuilt again around 1618. In 1620, Buenos Aires became the seat of a bishopric. This meant its main church was now officially a cathedral.
After 1662, the cathedral was rebuilt once more. It was opened again in 1671. This church had three naves with a wooden roof and one tower. But because the building materials weren't very good, the tower and roof fell down in the early 1680s. The whole church had to be rebuilt again, starting in 1684. By 1695, the building was almost finished. Only the side towers and the sacristy (a room for priests) still needed work.
In the early 1700s, construction was slow. The first tower was finished around 1721. The second tower was started in 1722 and finished around 1725. The main front of the church was redesigned between 1725 and 1727. An Italian Jesuit named Giovanni Bianchi created this new design. It was inspired by Italian Mannerist architecture.
The Current Building's Construction
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On May 23, 1752, the main part of the cathedral collapsed. Only the front and towers were left standing. The rest of the building needed to be completely rebuilt. Italian architect Antonio Masella took charge of the project in 1753. Masella designed a grand church, much bigger than the old one. It had three aisles with barrel vaulting ceilings and side chapels. A large dome was planned for the center.
However, after the dome was finished, cracks appeared. It had to be rebuilt. Masella was removed from the project. The dome was rebuilt by Portuguese architect Manuel Álvarez de Rocha after 1770. The old front and towers were finally torn down in 1778. They looked too small compared to the new, larger cathedral. A beautiful plan for a new front with two towers was suggested, but there wasn't enough money to build it. The cathedral was opened in 1791 without a finished front.
Work on the front began in the early 1800s, but it didn't get very far. It wasn't until 1821 that serious plans were made to finish the cathedral. Starting in 1826, French architects Prosper Catelin and Pierre Benoit designed a new Neoclassical front. It was inspired by the Palais Bourbon in Paris.
The front of the building has a tall portico (a porch with columns). It has twelve columns and a triangular top part called a pediment. This portico makes the building look more like an ancient temple than a Catholic church. The original plan did not include towers. Even though there were later ideas to add two towers, they were never built.
The decorations on the front were finished between 1860 and 1863. French sculptor Joseph Dubourdieu created the carvings on the pediment. This scene shows Joseph reuniting with his brothers and father Jacob in Egypt. It was meant to symbolize the unity of Argentina after many wars. Dubourdieu also finished the tops of the columns.
Inside the Cathedral
The Buenos Aires Cathedral is shaped like a Latin cross. It has a main area (nave) and three side aisles with chapels. Originally, the inside only had altarpieces. But in the late 1800s, Italian artist Francesco Paolo Parisi painted frescoes (wall paintings) of Bible scenes on the walls and ceilings. In 1907, the floor was covered with Venetian-style mosaics. The floor was repaired between 2004 and 2010.
Some parts of the cathedral are still from colonial times. The most important is the main altarpiece, made of gilded wood in the Rococo style. It dates from 1785 and was made by Spanish sculptor Isidro Lorea. This altarpiece is in the main chapel. It has a statue of the Virgin Mary and a picture of the Holy Trinity in its canopy (a decorative cover).
Another important old sculpture is the Christ of Buenos Aires. This is a large statue of Jesus on the cross. It is in a side chapel. Portuguese sculptor Manuel do Coyto carved it in 1671. It is the oldest statue in the cathedral. People believe it miraculously saved the city from a flood in the 1700s.
The two pulpits (raised platforms for speaking) in the cathedral were made between 1789 and 1790. They were created by Spanish sculptor Juan Antonio Gaspar Hernández.
The cathedral has a large pipe organ from 1871. It was made in Germany and has more than 3500 pipes. It is one of the best Walcker Organs ever made. The main organist, Mr. Enrique Rimoldi, often gives free concerts.
The cathedral can also be seen as an art museum. For example, it has 14 large oil paintings showing the Calvarium (the 14 stations of the cross). Each painting is over 1.5 by 1 meter in size.
Mausoleum of General San Martín
In 1880, the remains of General José de San Martín were brought from France. He was a very important hero who helped free Argentina, Chile, and Peru. His remains were placed in a special mausoleum (a grand tomb) inside the cathedral. You can reach it from the right side of the church.
French sculptor Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse designed the mausoleum. It is made of different colored marbles. The black coffin is guarded by three life-size female statues. These statues represent Argentina, Chile, and Peru, the three countries General San Martín helped to free. The mausoleum also holds the remains of other generals, Juan Gregorio de las Heras and Tomás Guido. It also contains the remains of the Unknown Soldier of the Independence.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral metropolitana de Buenos Aires para niños
- Plaza de Mayo
- Roman Catholicism in Argentina
- Architecture of Argentina
- Archdiocese of Buenos Aires
Gallery
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The cathedral (right) in 1854
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Interior viewed towards the main chapel
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Frieze
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Altarpiece of the lateral transept arm
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Main altarpiece by Isidro Lorea (1785)
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The Cathedral at night (2012)
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Crypt
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Detail of San Luis Gonzaga chapel
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Nuestra Señora del Carmen chapel
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Altar of Cristo de los Buenos Aires
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San Juan Bautista chapel
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Devote Christ
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Altarpiece of San Martín de Tours
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Main altarpiece
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Exterior view of the dome
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