El Fadrí facts for kids
El Fadrí, also known as the Fadri Tower, is a special bell tower in Castellón de la Plana, Spain. It stands all by itself, separate from the main church. This tower belongs to the Castelló Cathedral, which is a beautiful Gothic-style church.
What is El Fadrí?
El Fadrí is a very old and important bell tower. It is famous because it stands alone, not attached to the church building. This makes it quite unique! The tower is shaped like an octagon, meaning it has eight sides. It stands about 58 meters (190 feet) tall, which is as high as a 19-story building!
A Look Inside the Tower
Inside El Fadrí, there's a special spiral staircase. This staircase doesn't go straight up. Instead, it winds around in a "discontinuous" way, meaning it changes direction a bit as it goes up. This staircase leads to several interesting rooms:
- The clock chamber, where the tower's clock mechanism is kept.
- The clergyman's cell, a small room that might have been used by a priest.
- The bell ringer's home, where the person who rang the bells might have lived.
- The bell chamber, which is where the large bells are located.
History of El Fadrí
The building of El Fadrí started a very long time ago, in the year 1440. It took many years to finish this amazing tower. Construction finally ended in 1604. This means it took over 160 years to complete! The tower was built in a style called Valencian Gothic. This is a type of architecture that was popular in the Valencia region of Spain during the Middle Ages.
See also
In Spanish: El Fadrí para niños
