Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín |
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| Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception | |
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| Location | Medellín |
| Country | Colombia |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Medellín |
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Medellín is a large and important Catholic church in Medellín, Colombia. Its full name is the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception.
You can find this beautiful church in the center of Medellín, in the Villanueva neighborhood. It stands on the north side of Bolívar Park. During its construction, people sometimes called it the Villanueva Cathedral. This helped to tell it apart from the Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria, which was the main church at that time.
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What is the Metropolitan Cathedral?
This cathedral is the most important church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Medellin. It is where the Archbishop (a very high-ranking priest) and other church leaders have their main offices. It also serves as the main church for its local area, known as the "Cathedral Parish".
In 1948, Pope Pius XII gave the church a special title. He declared it a Minor Basilica on June 12 of that year. This title is given to churches that are very important for religious reasons.
How was the Cathedral built?
A French architect named Émile Charles Carré designed the cathedral. He created it in a Romanesque style. This style often uses round arches and strong, thick walls.
The church has a shape like a Latin cross when you look at it from above. It has three long sections called aisles. These are crossed by another section called the transept, which makes the arms of the cross. The cathedral also has two tall towers that reach 66 meters high.
The building is made almost entirely of brick. About 1,120,000 bricks were used to build it! These bricks were held together with mortar. This makes the cathedral a very strong and solid structure. Because it is such a major architectural work in Colombia, it was declared a National Monument of Colombia on March 12, 1982.
What can you find inside?
The cathedral has a small museum of religious art. It is in a room next to the main church. This museum has about 40 paintings from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. It also has 15 sculptures from the 18th and 19th centuries. One famous artwork inside the cathedral is The Christ of Forgiveness. This piece was created by a Colombian artist named Francisco Antonio Cano Cardona.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral Metropolitana de Medellín para niños
