Jaén Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jaén Cathedral |
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Spanish: Catedral de la Asunción de Jaén
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Aerial view of Jaén Cathedral.
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Catholic Church |
| Year consecrated | 1660 |
| Location | |
| Location | Jaén, Spain |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Andrés de Vandelvira Juan de Aranda Salazar Eufrasio López de Rojas |
| Architectural type | church |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Baroque Neoclassical |
| Groundbreaking | 1249 |
| Completed | 1724 |
| Website | |
| www.catedraldejaen.org | |
The Assumption of the Virgin Cathedral (Spanish: Catedral de la Asunción de Jaén) is a beautiful and historic Roman Catholic church. It is located in the city of Jaén, in the region of Andalusia, Spain. This amazing building is famous for its Renaissance style. You can find it right in the center of Jaén, across from the Town Hall.
The cathedral we see today was planned in the 16th century. It was built to replace an older Gothic church from the 15th century. Building the new cathedral took many centuries, but the original design ideas were kept.
Some of the most important parts are the chapter house and the sacristy. These were designed by Andrés de Vandelvira and are great examples of the Spanish Renaissance style. The front of the cathedral, called the façade, was built in the Baroque style. It has sculptures made by Pedro Roldán. The choir inside is very large and built in the Neoclassical style.
The cathedral also keeps a special copy of the Veil of Veronica. This copy probably dates back to the 14th century. It is shown to the public every year on Good Friday and on the Feast of the Assumption. You can also see it in a side chapel every Friday.
A Look at the Cathedral's History
The place where the cathedral stands today was once home to a mosque. After Ferdinand III of Castile took Jaén in 1246, the mosque became a church. It was dedicated to the Assumption.
Over the years, the church was damaged and rebuilt several times. In the 16th century, work began on the large cathedral we see now.
Many architects helped build the cathedral. Andrés de Vandelvira was one of the most important. The unique front of the building, designed by Eufrasio López de Rojas, started being built in 1660. This was even after the main cathedral was already finished.
More work on the inside decorations and chapels continued until 1724. After a big earthquake in Lisbon in 1755, the north side of the cathedral needed repairs. This led to the building of the Sagrario next to it.
A young composer named Francisco Guerrero worked at Jaén Cathedral around 1545. He was the maestro de capilla, which means he was in charge of the music.
In 2008, people started the process to make Jaén Cathedral a World Heritage Site. This is because it was a model for other cathedrals built in Spain and the Americas. On January 27, 2012, the cathedral was added to Spain's list of possible World Heritage Sites.
The Church of the Sagrario
The Church of the Sagrario (Spanish: Iglesia del Sagrario) is a building connected to the north side of the cathedral. It was built because of damage from the Lisbon earthquake of 1755.
The design for this church was made by the architect Ventura Rodríguez in 1764. His nephew, Manuel Martín Rodríguez, then carried out the building work. The Church of the Sagrario was officially opened on March 22, 1801.
Gallery
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Retrochoir.
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Choir.
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Lantern.
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View from the castle.
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Main façade at night.
