Caracas Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Caracas Cathedral |
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| Catedral Metropolitana de Santa Ana | |
Caracas Cathedral
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| 10°30′22″N 66°54′50″W / 10.5062°N 66.9140°W | |
| Location | Caracas |
| Country | Venezuela |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Founded | 1666 |
| Dedication | Saint Anne |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Style | Romanesque |
The Caracas Cathedral, or Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Anne, is a very important church in Caracas, Venezuela. It is the main church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Caracas. You can find it right on the Plaza Bolívar, a famous square in the city. Inside, there is a special chapel called the Holy Trinity chapel. This chapel is the burial place for the parents and wife of Simón Bolívar, a famous hero who helped many South American countries become free.
Contents
History of the Caracas Cathedral
The first church on this spot was built in the mid-1600s. It was a simple chapel made of mud walls and was named after Saint James. Sadly, a big earthquake in 1641 destroyed it.
Building the New Cathedral
After the earthquake, a new and stronger church began to be built in 1666. This was the start of the cathedral we see today. Juan de Medina led the construction, and a bell tower was added. The main building was finished in 1674. The beautiful front part of the church, called the façade, was added later in 1771 by Francisco Andrés de Meneses.
Earthquakes and Rebuilding
The cathedral was damaged again by earthquakes in 1766 and 1812. On March 26, 1812, a very strong earthquake hit Caracas. Many people were inside the church for a special service when it happened. The cathedral partly fell apart, and some people were hurt or died.
After this earthquake, one of the towers was damaged and made smaller. A new front section was built in 1866. The cathedral has special underground rooms called crypts. The most famous crypt belongs to the Bolívar family. Simón Bolívar's parents and his young wife are buried there. Simón Bolívar's own remains were also kept here from 1842 until 1876. Then, they were moved to the Panteón Nacional, another important building in Caracas. The cathedral has been repaired and updated several times, including in 1932 and the 1960s.
Architecture and Art in the Cathedral
The Caracas Cathedral is built from stone and has a tile roof. It is quite large, measuring about 270 feet long and 81 feet wide. Inside, the church has a Romanesque style, which means it has a classic, strong design.
Inside the Cathedral
The inside of the cathedral has five long sections called naves. There is a large central nave and two smaller ones on each side. This design makes the church feel very wide and open. Thirty-two octagonal columns with decorative tops separate the central nave from the side ones. These columns support round arches.
The main altar, where services are held, is at the very end of the central nave. The altars are covered in gold, and the smaller chapels on the sides are very detailed and beautiful. One important altar is dedicated to the Bolívar family. It has a modern sculpture of Simón Bolívar, known as "El Libertador" (The Liberator).
Special Features and Art
The cathedral has an old organ that was built in 1711 by a French craftsman named Claudio Febres. One of the baptismal fonts from the cathedral is now at the house where Simón Bolívar was born. This font was used to baptize him.
The cathedral also holds amazing religious artworks. These include "The Resurrection" by Peter Paul Rubens, "The Presentation of the Virgin" by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, and "The Last Supper," an unfinished painting by the Venezuelan artist Arturo Michelena.
Important People Connected to the Cathedral
Many important people have been part of the Caracas Cathedral's history. Manuel de Sosa Betancourt was an archdeacon, a senior church official. Carlos Herrera Mesones was a canon and the church's treasurer.
Ambrosio de Carreno was the maestro di capilla, or music director, for many years. José Cayetano Carreño became the cathedral's organist when he was only 15 years old and served until he died. In 1796, José Ángel Lamas became the first bassoon player in the cathedral's orchestra. His most famous piece, Popule Meus, was first performed in the cathedral in 1801. Pedro Palacios y Sojo, a cleric and composer, became a prelate (a high-ranking church official) of the cathedral in 1798.
See also
- Catholic Church in Venezuela
- List of cathedrals in Venezuela
