Old Cathedral of Plasencia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Cathedral of Plasencia |
|
|---|---|
|
Catedral vieja de Plasencia
|
|
Façade of the cathedral
|
|
| 40°01′41″N 6°05′28″W / 40.02793°N 6.09112°W | |
| Location | Plasencia, Spain |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Bien de Interés Cultural |
| Style | Romantic, Gothic |
| Years built | 13th–15th centuries |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Roman Catholic Diocese of Plasencia |
The Old Cathedral of Plasencia is a Roman Catholic church in Plasencia, Spain. It is one of two cathedrals in Plasencia. The other is the New Cathedral.
This old building is often called the Plasencia Cathedral Museum. It shows how building styles changed from Romanesque to Gothic architecture. It is one of the most famous buildings in Plasencia.
Work on the cathedral started in the early 1200s. The last parts were finished in the 1400s. Famous builders like Juan Francés and Diego Díaz worked on it. Today, it is a "Good of Cultural Interest," meaning it is a very important historical site.
Contents
A Look Back: The Cathedral's History
The Old Cathedral of Plasencia shows a mix of building styles. It has parts that look Romanesque and parts that look Gothic. You can see Romanesque styles in its columns. The Gothic style appears in its arches and windows.
For a long time, the inside walls were covered in a thick layer of white plaster. This was added in the 1700s. When this plaster wore away, people could see the cathedral's tall and grand design.
The cathedral was built in three main stages:
- Stage One: This was in the 1200s.
- Stage Two: In the 1300s, the church, its bell tower, and parts of the cloister were finished.
- Stage Three: In the 1400s, the main chapel was changed. The rest of the cloister was completed. Some parts of the western entrance collapsed due to problems with the ground. This meant new burial chapels had to be built inside.
In 1931, the cathedral was named a "Historical-Artistic Monument." This means it is a very important part of Spain's history and art.
Today, part of the cathedral is the Cathedral Museum of Plasencia. It has many old paintings and sculptures. These include works by famous artists like Luis de Morales. The museum also shows religious items from the 1400s to the 1600s.
Exploring the Building
The parts of the building that still stand show its Romanesque beginnings. Some parts also look like early Gothic style. The church originally had three main sections, called aisles. It had a large central apse (a rounded end) and two smaller ones. Now, it has three aisles without these rounded ends.
The central aisle has special ribbed vaults on its ceiling. These are like stone ribs that support the roof. The side aisles have simpler vaults.
The original back wall had the main chapel. Two smaller chapels were on each side. Over time, statues from these chapels were moved to other parts of the church. Today, a statue of the young Virgin Mary is in the central chapel.
Main Entrance
The main entrance is a good example of Romanesque style. It has round arches with decorative carvings. Above these arches, there is a stone sculpture. It shows the Annunciation, which is when an angel told the Virgin Mary she would have a baby. The Virgin Mary is also shown in a small image on the round window above the entrance.
The Cloister
.jpg)
The cloister is a covered walkway around a courtyard. It has an unusual shape. It also shows the mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles. Its columns and carved tops (capitals) show Bible stories, which is Romanesque. But its arches and ribbed ceilings are Gothic.
In the middle of the courtyard, there is a Gothic fountain from the 1400s. It has the special symbols (coats of arms) of Bishop Juan de Carvajal.
Chapel of San Pablo or Torre del Melón
The most famous part of the Old Cathedral is the Chapter House. It is also called the Chapel of San Pablo. People often call it the Torre del Melón (Melon Tower). This is because of the round, grooved shape at its very top.
The Chapel of San Pablo is like other special towers in cathedrals in Spain and Portugal. It has a square room that changes into an eight-sided shape at the top. The outside has a double dome shaped like a cone. This dome is covered in layers that look like scales. This helps protect it from rain. The very top has the fluted (grooved) sphere that gives it its nickname.
Over the years, this chapel has been used for different things. In 1508, it held a library. In 1544, it became the main chapel of the cathedral.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral vieja de Plasencia para niños
- New Cathedral of Plasencia
- History of medieval Arabic and Western European domes
Images for kids
-
Façade of the cathedral
-
Bell tower
-
Interior
-
Original floor plan of the Old Cathedral.
-
The Western Entrance
-
Cloister of the Cathedrals.
-
Exterior of the Torre del Melón.
-
Interior of the Torre del Melón.
