Concatedral de San Nicolás, Alicante facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alicante Co-Cathedral |
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| Co-Cathedral of Saint Nicholas of Bari | |
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West façade in 2021.
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| 38°20′43.5″N 0°28′57″W / 38.345417°N 0.48250°W | |
| Location | Alicante |
| Country | Spain |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| History | |
| Authorising papal bull | 9 March 1959 |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Dedication | Saint Nicholas |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Agustín Bernardino |
| Style | Valencian Gothic, Baroque |
| Groundbreaking | c. 1613 |
| Completed | c. 1660 |
| Specifications | |
| Dome height (outer) | 45 metres (147 ft 8 in) |
| Administration | |
| Metropolis | Valencia |
| Diocese | Orihuela-Alicante (since 1959) |
The Co-cathedral of Saint Nicholas of Bari is a Catholic church in Alicante, Spain. It is called a "co-cathedral" because it shares the role of a main church for the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante with another cathedral. This important building is dedicated to Saint Nicholas. On March 9, 1959, Pope John XXIII officially made it a cathedral.
Building the Co-Cathedral
This impressive church was built over many years, from 1613 to 1662. It was designed by an architect named Agustín Bernardino. He was a student of a famous architect, Juan de Herrera. Interestingly, the co-cathedral was built on the site where an old mosque used to stand.
The older part of the building, called the cloister, was built even earlier, in the 1400s. It shows the Valencian Gothic style, which was popular at that time.
Inside the Co-Cathedral
The co-cathedral has a special shape inside, like a Latin cross. This means it has a long main part (the nave) and shorter arms (the transepts). Along the sides of the main area, there are six smaller chapels that connect to each other.
Above the center of the church, where the main parts meet, there is a large blue dome. This dome reaches about 45 meters (148 feet) high! One of the most beautiful parts inside is the Chapel of Holy Communion. It's designed like a small temple and is a great example of Spanish Baroque architecture.
Outside the Co-Cathedral
From the outside, the co-cathedral looks quite simple and serious. The main entrance, on the east side, has a style called Doric order. Another entrance on the south side uses the Ionic order. These are different types of classical architectural styles.
See also
In Spanish: Concatedral de San Nicolás de Bari para niños
