Málaga Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of Málaga |
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|---|---|
| Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica de la Encarnación | |
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| 36°43′12″N 4°25′12″W / 36.720042°N 4.42012°W | |
| Location | Málaga |
| Country | Spain |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | malagacatedral.com |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Groundbreaking | 1528 |
| Completed | 1782 |
| Specifications | |
| Height | 84 metres (276 ft) |
The Cathedral of Málaga is a beautiful Roman Catholic church located in the sunny city of Málaga, in southern Spain. It was built in the Renaissance style, which was popular for buildings during that time. The cathedral stands where old Moorish walls once were. These walls also surrounded the nearby Alcazaba and the Castle of Gibralfaro.
Construction of the cathedral started in 1528 and finished in 1782. It followed the designs of Diego de Siloe. The inside of the church also shows the beautiful Renaissance style.
Contents
About the Cathedral's Design and History
The front of the cathedral looks different from the rest of the building. It is built in the Baroque style. This front has two main levels. On the lower level, you can see three large arches. Inside these arches are doors, separated by marble columns.
Special Carvings and Tall Towers
Above the doors, there are stone carvings called medallions. The medallions over the side doors show the patron saints of Málaga, Saint Cyriacus and Saint Paula. The carving above the middle door shows the Annunciation, which is a famous scene from the Bible.
The north tower of the cathedral is very tall, reaching 84 meters (about 275 feet) high. This makes it the second-tallest cathedral in Andalusia, after the Giralda in Seville. However, the south tower was never finished.
Why One Tower is Unfinished
Building such a large cathedral cost a lot of money. To help pay for it, the king put a special tax on ships that came to Málaga. This tax helped the construction move quickly, especially in the 1700s.
However, the money eventually ran out. A plaque at the bottom of the unfinished tower says that funds meant to finish it were used to help the British colonies in America. These colonies were fighting for their independence from Great Britain. Other records suggest the money might have been used to fix roads in the area instead. Because one tower is unfinished, people often call the cathedral "La Manquita." This means "The One-Armed Lady" in English.
Art and Beauty Inside
The cathedral is filled with amazing artworks. You can see a Gothic altarpiece in the Chapel of Santa Barbara. There are also 16th-century tombs in the Chapel of San Francisco.
The Chapel of the Incarnation has a beautiful altarpiece from 1785. It was designed by Juan de Villanueva and carved by Antonio Ramos and Aldehuela. This chapel also has sculptures of Saint Ciriaco and Saint Paula, carved by Juan Salazar Palomino. Another famous painting there is The Beheading of Saint Paul, painted by Enrique Simonet in 1887.
In 2023, work was done to restore the cathedral's crypt. This area holds the tombs of important historical figures like the Count and Countess of Buenavista.
Cathedral Layout
The cathedral is built in a rectangular shape. It has a main area called a nave and two side areas called aisles. The nave is wider than the aisles, but they are all the same height. The choir stalls, where singers sit, were created by Pedro de Mena.
Music in the Cathedral
Many famous musicians and composers worked at the Cathedral of Málaga. Some notable maestros de capilla (music directors) included Cristóbal de Morales in the 1550s, Esteban de Brito, and later, Juan Francés de Iribarren and Jayme Torrens. They helped create and perform music for the church.
Images for kids
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The portals
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Side view
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It took years for construction of Malaga Cathedral to be completed.
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Side chapels
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A view of the cathedral
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Another view of the cathedral
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Chapel of the Incarnation
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Lateral view of Málaga Cathedral in the 18th century
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254 Jahre dauerte it bis der Bau der Kathedrale von Malaga vollendet war. 11.jpg
Interior of the cathedral
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The choir room
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See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Málaga para niños
