Lugo Cathedral Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Saint Mary's Cathedral
West façade.
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic Church
Location
Location	Lugo, Galicia, Spain
Architecture
Architect(s)	Raimundo
Architectural type	Church
Architectural style	Romanesque (Gothic, Baroque, Neoclassical)
Groundbreaking	1129
Completed	1273
Spire(s)	2
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, iv, vi
Designated	1993 (17th session)
Parent listing	Routes of Santiago de Compostela: Camino Francés and Routes of Northern Spain
Reference no.	669bis-007
Region	Europe and North America
Spanish Property of Cultural Interest
Official name: Catedral de Santa María
Type	Real property
Criteria	Monument
3 June 1931
RI-51-0000708

Saint Mary's Cathedral, also known as Lugo Cathedral, is a large and important Roman Catholic church in Lugo, Galicia, in north-western Spain. It's a special kind of church called a basilica. This amazing building was first built in the early 1100s. It mainly shows a style called Romanesque. Over time, parts of it were updated with Gothic, Baroque, and Neoclassical designs.

History of Lugo Cathedral
What the Cathedral Looks Like
See also

History of Lugo Cathedral

A church has stood on this spot since the year 755. In 1129, a bishop named Peter III decided to build a brand new church. He hired a local architect and builder named Raimundo to design it in the newest style of the time. This new church, built in the Romanesque style, was finished in 1273.

Over the years, the cathedral was changed and repaired many times. These updates added parts in other styles. For example, a beautiful altar piece called a retablo was added during the Renaissance period. Sadly, this retablo was destroyed in a big earthquake in Lisbon in 1755. Some small pieces of it are still kept in the church today.

The Pope gave Lugo Cathedral a special permission. This means the church can always display the Holy Sacrament.

What the Cathedral Looks Like

Lugo Cathedral is shaped like a Latin Cross when you look at it from above. It is about 85 meters (279 feet) long.

Inside the Cathedral

The main part of the church, called the nave, has a rounded ceiling known as a barrel vault. On either side of the nave are two smaller walkways called aisles. At the back, there's a curved area called an ambulatory, which has five small chapels around it.

Above the aisles, there's a special walkway called a triforium. It has windows with three pointed arches. In the curved back part of the church, you can see a calvary sculpture. This is a scene showing Jesus on the cross, but we don't know exactly when it was made.

The Outside and Entrances

The front of the cathedral, called the façade, was designed in the Renaissance style. It was inspired by plans from a famous architect named Ventura Rodríguez. The two towers on the sides of the façade were finished in the late 1800s.

The entrance on the north side has a special porch called a narthex. This part is in the Gothic style and was built between 1510 and 1530. Inside, its ceiling has a star-shaped design. The entrance has three curved arches, called archivolts. Above the door, there's a stone beam, or lintel, showing Christ Pantocrator, which means "Christ as Ruler of All." There's also a unique hanging decoration that looks like a glove, showing the Last Supper.

To the right of this entrance is the Gothic Torre Vella, which means "Old Tower." This tower is a bell tower. Its top part was added in the Renaissance style by Gaspar de Arce in 1580.

Other Important Parts

The sacristy, a room where priests prepare for services, was built in 1678. The cloister, a covered walkway around a courtyard, was built in 1714. Both of these are in the Baroque style. The central chapel in the triforium, built in 1726, is also Baroque.

The chapel of St. Froilán is in the Renaissance style and dates back to the 1600s. Another important feature is the choir, which was built by Francisco de Moure in the early 1600s.