Ciudad Real Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ciudad Real Cathedral |
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| Holy Priory Church Cathedral-Basilica of the Military Orders of Our Lady Saint Mary of the Prado | |
| Santa Iglesia Prioral Basílica Catedral de las Órdenes Militares de Nuestra Señora Santa María del Prado | |
West façade in 2022.
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| 38°59′11″N 3°55′51″W / 38.986324°N 3.93096°W | |
| Location | Ciudad Real |
| Country | Spain |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Dedication | Mary, Mother of Jesus |
| Dedicated | 5 March 1981 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Gothic |
| Completed | 1514 |
| Specifications | |
| Nave length | 53 m (173 ft 11 in) |
| Nave width | 18 m (59 ft 1 in) |
| Nave height | 34 m (111 ft 7 in) |
| Number of towers | 1 |
| Tower height | 62 m (203 ft 5 in) |
| Administration | |
| Metropolis | Toledo |
| Diocese | Ciudad Real |
The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Prado is a very old and important church. It is located in Ciudad Real, a city in the Castile-La Mancha region of Spain. People also call it the Holy Priory Church Cathedral Basilica of the Military Orders of Our Lady Saint Mary of the Prado.
Building the cathedral started in the 1400s. It was mostly built in the Gothic style. However, you can also see parts that look like older Romanesque buildings, and newer Renaissance and Baroque styles. The first changes to the original chapel were made by King Alfonso X way back in the 1200s. The main construction was finished in the mid-1500s when the roof was completed. The tall tower was added much later, in the early 1800s.
Since 1875, this cathedral has been special. It serves as the main church for four important Spanish military orders. These are the Calatrava, Montesa, Santiago, and Alcántara orders. The building is so important that it is listed in Spain's national heritage register as a "Bien de Interés Cultural," which means it's a cultural treasure.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
The oldest part of the cathedral is the Door of Forgiveness (Puerta del Perdón). This door is from the late 1200s or early 1300s. It might have been moved from an even older chapel that stood here before the cathedral.
Building Styles and Features
The cathedral was built over many years, so it mixes different styles. You can see both Gothic and Renaissance designs. The back part of the church, called the apse, was built in the early 1400s. The front part of the main hall (nave) was finished in 1514. The rest of the nave was completed around 1580.
The main hall, or nave, is huge! It is about 34 meters (111 feet) high, 53 meters (174 feet) long, and 18 meters (59 feet) wide. It is the second largest nave in Spain, after the one in Girona Cathedral. The Chapel of the Virgin and the sacristy (a room where priests prepare) were added in the 1600s in the Baroque style.
The tower was rebuilt in 1825 and has been fixed up recently. During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the cathedral was used as a military garage. Sadly, many valuable items inside were stolen or destroyed during that time.
The Door of Forgiveness shows a mix of Gothic and Romanesque styles. Some people think it was built during the time of King Alfonso X. The tower, built in the 1800s, is made of stone and has four levels.
Inside the Cathedral
When you go inside, you'll see a magnificent Baroque altarpiece. This is a large, decorated screen behind the altar. It was created by Giraldo de Merlo and his son-in-law, Juan de Hasten. Other artists, Cristóbal and Pedro Ruiz Delvira, continued the work. Juan de Villaseca helped bring a design by Andrés de la Concha to life. The altarpiece was finished in 1616. It is dedicated to the Virgen of the Prado, who is the patron saint of Ciudad Real.
The wooden benches, called pews, are made of carved walnut. They were made in the early 1700s. The Sacristy room has many paintings and a beautiful chest of drawers in the Baroque style.
The church of Santa Maria del Prado became a full cathedral in 1981. This happened because of a special order from the Pope, called a papal bull.
Restoration Work
Over the years, the cathedral has needed a lot of care and repair. Here are some of the times it has been restored:
- 1967: The bells were restored for the first time. They were recast and given new metal frames.
- 1983 - 1986: The tall tower of the cathedral was restored.
- 1987 - 1988: The bells were restored again. They were recast and new machines were added to help them ring.
- 1992: A third, smaller restoration was done on the bells, including some welding.
- 1998 - 2002: The outside walls (facades) and the ceiling of the old sacristy were repaired.
- 2001: The organ, a large musical instrument, was restored.
- 2003 - 2004: The main altarpiece was carefully restored.
- 2009 - 2010: The Chapel of the Virgen del Prado was restored.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Santa María del Prado (Ciudad Real) para niños
