Church of Sant Vicenç Facts for Kids

View of the church's apse from afar

The Church of Sant Vicenç of Cardona (Catalan: Església de Sant Vicenç de Cardona) is a very old church in Cardona, Catalonia, Spain. It was built a long time ago, between the years 1019 and 1040. This church is a great example of Romanesque style, especially the "Lombard" type, which was popular in parts of Europe. You can find it right in the middle of the Castle of Cardona.

History of the Church
Church Design and Structure
- Inside the Church
- Outside the Church
Old Paintings
Gallery
See also

History of the Church

The Church of Sant Vicenç started as a small chapel inside the Castle of Cardona. This castle belonged to a powerful family called the Viscounts of Osona. This first chapel was mentioned in old papers around the year 980. The viscounts protected and supported this early church.

During the 1000s, many stone churches began to be built in the area. Some of these were part of Benedictine monasteries. The Church of Sant Vicenç was started around 1019. It was officially finished and opened in 1040. Viscount Bermon I was the one who supported its building.

Church Design and Structure

Interior of the church.

This church was built to be very impressive. It is super tall, reaching over 19 meters (about 62 feet) high! The builders used carefully cut stones, called ashlar masonry. The stonework looks simple but is very well made. All the stone blocks are the same size and fit together perfectly.

Inside the Church

Inside, the main part of the church, called the nave, has a rounded stone ceiling. This type of ceiling is known as a barrel vault. On each side of the nave are two smaller walkways called side-aisles. These side-aisles have stone ceilings that look like crossed arches, called groin vaults.

To help support the main ceiling, there are three large arches across the nave. These are called transverse arches. They go down the walls as flat columns, ending with decorative tops. Round arches connect the nave to the side-aisles. Above these arches, you can see small, rounded windows that let light into the nave.

Right before the altar, there is a dome over the central area. This dome sits on special corner supports called squinches. The top of the dome has a round opening, like an eye, called an oculus. There are also small, rounded windows around the base of the dome. This church was one of the first in Western Europe to have a dome over a main church area.

Apses, transept, and lantern tower, with typical Lombard details

The nave meets a part of the church called the transept. This section makes the church look like a cross from above. The transept is a bit wider than the nave but does not stick out much from the sides. At the very end of the church, there are three rounded sections called apses. Each apse is sized to match the aisle it belongs to.

Outside the Church

From the outside, the church looks very neat and straight. The only parts that are not straight are the three rounded apses at the back. Above the church, you can see an eight-sided tower. This tower, called a lantern tower, is directly above the dome inside.

Old Paintings

The entrance area of the church, called the portico, used to be covered with beautiful murals. These are paintings done directly on the walls. Some pieces of these paintings were found and fixed in 1960. You can now see them at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) in Barcelona. Even though the portico was built in the 11th century, the paintings themselves were made later, in the 12th century.