Cathedral Basilica of Zacatecas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral Basilica of Zacatecas |
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Catedral Basílica de la Asunción de María de Zacatecas
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Cathedral of Zacatecas
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| District | Diocese of Zacatecas |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Cathedral and minor basilica |
| Year consecrated | 1752 |
| Location | |
| Location | Zacatecas, Mexico |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Domingo Ximénez Hernández |
| Architectural style | Churrigueresque, New Spanish Baroque, Neoclassical |
| Groundbreaking | 1731 |
| Completed | (Rest of the church) 1752 (Top of North tower) 1904 |
| Spire(s) | 2 |
| Official name: Part of the Historic Centre of Zacatecas | |
| Type: | Cultural |
| Criteria: | ii, iv |
| Designated: | 1993 (17th session) |
| Reference #: | 676 |
| Region: | Latin America and the Caribbean |
The Cathedral of Zacatecas is a very important church in Zacatecas City, Mexico. It is dedicated to the Virgin of the Assumption. This beautiful building is the main church for the Diocese of Zacatecas. It stands in the historic center of the city, which is a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
Before the church you see today, there were two older temples on this spot. The first one was built in 1568. It was the city's first parish church, but it was quite small. A second, larger temple was built in its place. We know this second church was officially opened in 1625.
The current cathedral is the result of a long building process. It started around 1550 with the first church plan. Over 170 years, there were many changes, additions, and even some fires. Finally, in 1732, a big plan was made for the church we see now. They wanted to use some parts of the older temples in the new design.
The people of Zacatecas, known as "the aristocrats of silver" because of the city's rich silver mines, wanted a grander church. They started building the current cathedral between 1731 and 1752. A man named Domingo Ximénez Hernández was in charge of the work. The first stone was laid by Don José de Izarraguirre. The church was dedicated in 1752, but it wasn't fully finished until 1904. That's when the top of the main front and the north tower were completed. The north tower has a clock, which was a gift from Governor Genaro García Rojas.
The cathedral has three main entrances, called facades. The northern facade honors the Santo Cristo de la Parroquia. Miners believed this Christ figure was very miraculous. The southern facade is dedicated to Our Lady of Zacatecas, who is the patron saint of the city. The main facade, which is the most detailed, was finished in 1745. It shows scenes related to the Holy Communion. You can see carvings of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are surrounded by the Apostles, all around the Eucharist.
On January 26, 1863, Pope Pius IX made the church a cathedral. This meant it became the main church for the new Diocese of Zacatecas. The third temple had beautiful wooden altarpieces inside. These were later replaced with stone ones. It's thought that the famous architect Manuel Tolsá might have designed some of them.
The Cathedral Building
The cathedral's floor plan looks like a Latin cross. It has three main sections inside, called naves. There is a large central nave and two smaller ones on the sides. The church also has two side entrances. These are made of stone and are very detailed, just like the main entrance. The main entrance is considered one of the best examples of Baroque art in Mexico.
The original dome of the church was replaced. The new dome looks a lot like the one on the Templo de Loreto in Mexico City. It has eight sides and a small tower on top. This tower is crowned with a cross made of wrought iron.
The outside of the building is covered with pink stone. The entrances and towers are very detailed and ornate. However, the inside of the church looks much simpler. It has a Neoclassical style.
The Main Facade
The main facade is very elegant and looks like lace carved from stone. It has three main parts. The first part has three columns with fancy tops called Corinthian capitals. These columns are decorated with angels and plants, especially grapevines. Between the columns, there are statues of the apostles St. James, St. Peter, St. Paul, and St. Andrew. The main entrance arch is also decorated with diamond shapes, angels, and flowers.
The second part of the facade has a large window for the choir inside. This window is framed by many decorations with plants and human-like figures. In the corners of this section, you can see statues of four important church leaders. These are St. Gregory the Great, St. Jerome, St. Augustine of Hippo, and St. Ambrose of Milan. Three more decorated columns stand next to the choir window. Between these columns, there are four more statues of saints.
The third and smallest part of the facade has five statues. Four of these are apostles. The middle statue is of Jesus Christ.
At the very top of the facade, there is a carving that shows the glory of God the Father. It looks like he is watching over the entire scene. People say that the color of the facade's stones changes throughout the day as the sunlight hits them. The best time to see this is between 2:30 PM and 6:00 PM.
The Side Portals
The cathedral has two side entrances. The northern one is dedicated to the Lord of the Parish. It has two parts. The first part has a rounded arch with plant designs and angels. There is also a stone copy of a Christ figure that is inside the church. On each side, there are figures that look like women with plant designs and cherubs. The second part is more detailed. It has columns with the images of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and St. Joseph.
The southern entrance is dedicated to Our Lady of Zacatecas. Her statue is in a special spot there. It is said that an artist who was sentenced to death carved this statue. He was saved from his punishment because of this beautiful work. This facade also has two parts. The first has an arch with decorated columns. The second part shows the statue of Our Lady, guarded by two more figures.
The Interior and Main Altarpiece
The inside of the cathedral looks simple and practical. This is a big contrast to its very detailed outside. You will see large, plain columns and simple side altars. On the arches, there are symbols of Mary, figures of saints, and other religious items.
The main altar inside the cathedral is a modern masterpiece. It was designed by the artist Javier Marín from Michoacan. This altar is covered in 24-carat gold, which means it's made of pure gold. It stands 17 feet tall and 10 feet wide. About 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of gold from the Mazapil area of Zacatecas were used to cover it.
The altar is made of geometric shapes that rise from the platform. These shapes create special spaces, like niches, where detailed statues of saints are placed. The altar weighs about 20 tons and is made from Finnish birch wood. This wood is very strong and doesn't change shape with humidity.
The altarpiece has eleven images. At the very top is the Virgin of the Assumption, to whom the church is dedicated. On either side of her are her parents, Saint Anne and Saint Joachim. Below them are Saint John the Baptist, Saint Augustine, Saint Francis, Saint Dominic, Saint Anthony of Padua, and Saint Ignatius of Loyola. On the sides, you can see images of two Zacatecas martyrs, San Mateo Correa and Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro. The cross on the altar is made of bronze and is 4.2 meters (13.8 feet) tall and 2 meters (6.6 feet) wide.
Before this new altar, the church had different ones. The third temple had beautiful Baroque wooden altarpieces. These were later replaced with stone ones. The current main altarpiece by Javier Marín was completed in 2010.
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Gallery
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A side portal
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The Zacatecas Cathedral, painting of 1836 by Carl Nebel and Jean-Baptiste Arnout.
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Zacatecas Cathedral as seen from 1752. Photo of 1880.
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Zacatecas Cathedral as seen from 1752. Photo of 1880.
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Main portal of the Cathedral in 1906 by the Globe Stereograph Co.
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A mural painting in the Cathedral of Zacatecas, photo of the late 19th century
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Zacatecas Cathedral with its recently completed North tower, 1904.
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See also
- Atrial cross
