Concatedral de San Nicolás, Alicante facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alicante Co-Cathedral |
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| Co-Cathedral of St. Nicholas of Bari | |
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East view of the apse, tower and dome.
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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 Church |
| History | |
| Authorising papal bull | 9 March 1959 |
| Status | Co-cathedral |
| Dedication | Saint Nicholas |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| 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 | |
| Archdiocese | Valencia |
| Diocese | Orihuela-Alicante (since 1959) |
The Co-Cathedral of St. Nicholas of Bari is a special Catholic church in Alicante, Spain. It is called a "co-cathedral" because it shares the role of a main church with another cathedral in the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante. This beautiful building is dedicated to Saint Nicholas. It became a co-cathedral on March 9, 1959, by a decision from Pope John XXIII.
Building the Co-Cathedral
This important church was built a long time ago, between the years 1613 and 1662. A student of a famous architect named Juan de Herrera, Agustín Bernardino, designed it. He started designing it around 1610. The church was built on the site where an old mosque used to stand. There is also an older part, a cloister, which was built in the 1400s in a style called Valencian Gothic.
Inside the Co-Cathedral
The Co-Cathedral has a floor plan shaped like a Latin cross. This means it has a long main part and two shorter arms on the sides. Along the main part, there are six smaller chapels that connect to each other. There is also a walkway around the main altar area. A tall blue dome rises 45 meters (about 148 feet) above the center of the church. One of the chapels, called the Chapel of Holy Communion, is very beautiful. It is a great example of the Spanish Baroque style.
Outside the Co-Cathedral
From the outside, the Co-Cathedral looks quite simple and grand. The main entrance on the east side has columns in a style called Doric order. The entrance on the south side has columns in a different style, known as Ionic order. These different column styles add to the church's unique look.
See also
In Spanish: Concatedral de San Nicolás de Bari para niños
