La Seu d'Urgell Cathedral facts for kids

Quick facts for kids La Seu d'Urgell Cathedral Catedral de Santa María de Urgel
Apse of La Seu d'Urgell Cathedral
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Location
Location	La Seu d'Urgell, Spain
Architecture
Architectural type	Cathedral
Architectural style	Romanesque
Completed	1110

Frontal from La Seu d'Urgell or of The Apostles, now conserved at MNAC Barcelona

Bell tower of the cathedral

La Seu d'Urgell Cathedral, also called Urgell Cathedral, is a special church in La Seu d'Urgell, Catalonia, Spain. It's a Roman Catholic cathedral. This means it's the main church for the Bishops of Urgell. These bishops also have a unique role: they are Co-Princes of Andorra! The cathedral is famous for its Romanesque architecture. It has special Italian-style decorations on its front, which makes it stand out in Catalonia.

History of La Seu d'Urgell Cathedral

Building the Cathedral

The building of this amazing cathedral started in 1116. A skilled builder named Ramon Llambard designed it. This makes it one of the oldest cathedrals in all of Catalonia.

The city itself gets its name from the cathedral! It was first called the City of Urgell. Now, it's known as "See of Urgell" (La Seu d'Urgell). This name comes from the Latin words Sedes Urgelli, which means "episcopal seat." An episcopal seat is the main church where a bishop has his official home.

Dedication and Special Statue

The cathedral is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. She is also the patroness, or special protector, of the city. Inside, you can find a beautiful statue from the 13th century. It's known as the Mother of God of Urgell (Mare de Déu d'Urgell). It is also sometimes called the Virgin of Andorra.

Restorations and Changes

Over the years, the cathedral has been carefully repaired and updated. This process is called restoration. Several big restoration projects happened in the 20th century.

• The first major restoration began in 1918. It was led by Josep Puig i Cadafalch.
• Later, between 1955 and 1974, the church was restored again. During these works, parts of the cathedral that were not finished were covered with stone.
• Some newer additions were removed to make the outside look more like the original design.
• Part of the front of the building was fixed up.
• The inside of the cathedral was also changed. It had been covered with plaster in the 18th century, which hid some of its original beauty. The restoration helped bring back its true look.

Famous Musician

A well-known composer from the 16th century, Joan Brudieu, worked at the cathedral. He was the maestro di capilla (music director) from 1548 to 1591.

See also

In Spanish: Catedral de Santa María (Urgel) para niños