Nicolás de Vergara el Mozo facts for kids

Nicolás de Vergara el Mozo (born 1540, died December 11, 1606) was a talented Spanish artist. He was a sculptor, architect, blacksmith, and even a glassmaker! Nicolás worked mostly at the famous Toledo Cathedral in Spain, where he became the master builder. He also helped create many other important religious and public buildings. His father, Nicolás de Vergara el Viejo, was also an architect and sculptor, and his mother was Catalina de Colonia. His brother, Juan de Vergara, and his uncles, Arnao de Vergara and Arnao de Flandes, were also skilled artists, especially in glassmaking.

Working at Toledo Cathedral

Nicolás de Vergara el Mozo started working at the Toledo Cathedral when his father was still alive. In 1573, the cathedral council named him their official sculptor. He and his father worked together on two large bronze stands for the choir.

After his father passed away two years later, Nicolás continued working with his brother, Juan de Vergara. They finished the beautiful stained glass windows of the cathedral by 1580.

Nicolás was chosen twice to be the master builder of the Cathedral. His second time in this important role started in 1587, and he stayed in the position until he died. During this time, he began building the Chapel of the Tabernacle in a style called Herrerian style. He was also in charge of designing the entire area around the Chapel, including the Reliquary, the Sacristy, and the treasurer's house and courtyard. He also created the rose window above the Lions' Door and a medallion of the Virgin of the Annunciation on the inside of the Clock Door.

Amazing Buildings He Designed

Nicolás de Vergara el Mozo was a busy architect who helped design many important buildings. Here are some of the places he worked on:

• He drew the plans for the San Bartolomé church in Toledo.
• He designed the cloister (a covered walkway) for the San Clemente convent in Toledo.
• He worked on the Tavera Hospital in Toledo with other famous architects like Alonso de Covarrubias.
• He helped design the Toledo City Council building alongside well-known architects such as Juan de Herrera.
• He worked on the Augustinian Convent in Madrigal de las Altas Torres, Ávila.
• In 1568, he designed the San José convent in Malagón, Ciudad Real.
• In 1575, he created the plans and stonework for the Santo Domingo el Antiguo monastery in Toledo.
• In 1588, he drew the plans for the San José chapel in Toledo.
• In 1590, he worked on the San Martín de Pusa church in Toledo.
• In 1595, he designed the tabernacle (a special place for religious items) for the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe in Cáceres.

Other Important Creations

Nicolás de Vergara el Mozo also created other significant works:

• Around 1573, King Philip II of Spain asked him to make bronze corners for the choir books at the Monastery of El Escorial.
• From 1574 to 1580, he finished the metal grate for the tomb of Cardinal Cisneros in Alcalá de Henares. His father had started this project.
• In 1590, he designed a silver urn for the body of Santa Leocadia in Toledo. A silversmith named Francisco Merino then made the urn based on Nicolás's design.

Around these dates, he also worked with other artists, Juan Bautista Vázquez el Viejo (sculptor) and Juan Correa de Vivar (painter), to create the main altarpiece for the Santa María Magdalena church in Mondejar, Guadalajara. This huge and important artwork was designed by Alonso de Covarruvias. Sadly, this original masterpiece was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War. However, you can still see an exact copy of the paintings and sculptures in the same location today, looking just like the original!

See also

In Spanish: Nicolás de Vergara el Mozo para niños