Las Palmas Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Las Palmas CathedralCatedral de Canarias |
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Cathedral of Santa Ana.
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Cathedral |
| Leadership | Nicolás Monche (Deán) |
| Location | |
| Location | Las Palmas, Spain |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | church |
| Architectural style | Gothic (Pointed), Corinthian, Moorish, Romanesque |
| General contractor | Siglo XVI |
The Cathedral of Santa Ana is a very important Roman Catholic church in Las Palmas, Canary Islands. It's also known as the Cathedral of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This cathedral is the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Canarias. You can find it in the Vegueta neighborhood, right next to the Santa Ana Plaza.
Every year on November 26, people celebrate the day the cathedral was dedicated. Many consider it the most important religious building in the Canary Islands.
Contents
A Look at the Cathedral's History
Building the current church began in the year 1500. This was during the time of Bishop Diego de Muros, who was the third Bishop of Las Palmas. The first architect for the project was Don Diego Montaude.
However, another architect named Juan de Palacio later took over the work. The main part of the church was finished in 1570. The first church services were held then.
In the 1700s, the cathedral was rebuilt and updated. This work was led by Dean D. Geronimo Roos. The architect for this major renovation was Don Diego Nicolas Eduardo. His plans for the cathedral were sent to a famous art academy in Madrid.
For a long time, Las Palmas Cathedral was the only cathedral in the Canary Islands. That changed in 1819. Another cathedral was built in La Laguna, which took over some of the islands.
Exploring the Cathedral's Design
The Cathedral of Santa Ana was designed in the Gothic Pointed style. This means it has tall, pointed arches and large windows. The church has a main area called a nave, with two aisles on each side. It also has a special area called a sanctuary.
One unique feature inside are the columns, which look like palm trees. They start with a square base, then become an octagon, and finally turn into round columns. These columns have special carvings and rise up to support the ceiling. The ceiling has a beautiful vaulted design, which looks like ribs flowing from the columns.
The eastern part of the cathedral was built later, in the 1700s, by architect Eduardo. This part includes the transepts, which are the arms of the cross shape. The arches here are less pointed, almost like semicircles. Above the main cross area, there is a vaulted dome called a ciborium.
The entire church is quite large. The main part of the church, including the nave and sanctuary, is about 197 feet (60 meters) long. The total width of the church is about 144 feet (44 meters).
Many of the windows are tall and pointed. Some have been changed over time. The church also has many chapels, which are smaller areas for prayer.
Outside the Cathedral
Architect Eduardo wanted to make the outside of the cathedral look uniform. He planned to cover the older parts with a more classical style. Only the eastern part was finished this way.
He also planned for huge entrances and two tall bell towers, called campaniles, on the western side. However, only one of these bell towers was ever completed. The older western front of the church had a central gable and two octagonal Romanesque bell towers.
The outside of the cathedral also features flying buttresses. These are supports that help hold up the tall walls. There is also a beautiful rose window on the western side of the nave.
Inside, in one of the chapels, you can see a giant statue of Saint Christopher. There's also a door that leads to a pretty cloister, which is a covered walkway around a courtyard. Above this area are the library and chapter-house. The sacristy, where priests prepare for services, has a very interesting stone floor. This floor is made of large, cleverly fitted stones.
The cathedral also has many valuable items. These include rich vestments (special clothes for services) and a lamp from Genoa. There are also altars decorated with beaten silver. A very tall paschal candle, about 15 feet (4.6 meters) high, stands on one side of the altar.
Panoramas
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See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Canarias para niños
