Santo Domingo de la Calzada Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Santo Domingo de la Calzada Cathedral |
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| Native name Spanish: Catedral de Santo Domingo de la Calzada |
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Portico and freestanding tower
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| Location | Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Spain |
| Governing body | Roman Catholic Church |
| Type | Non-movable |
| Criteria | Monument |
| Designated | 1931 |
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The Cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada is a very old and important church. It is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in the small town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada. This town is in the La Rioja region of Spain. The cathedral is dedicated to the Saviour and St Mary.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
The town of Santo Domingo de la Calzada is famous because it is on the Camino de Santiago. This is a very old pilgrimage route. The town gets its name from Saint Dominic de la Calzada. He was a kind person who helped pilgrims traveling through the area.
How the Church Grew
Saint Dominic died in the year 1109. He was buried in the local village church. Over time, this church became more important. In the 12th century, it was rebuilt to be much larger. It became a "collegiate church," which means it had a group of priests living and working together.
Later, in the 13th century, the building was made into a full cathedral. This means it became the main church for a whole region. Today, it is one of the cathedrals in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calahorra y La Calzada-Logroño. The other cathedrals are in Calahorra and Logroño.
Art and Sculpture
The front of the cathedral has statues of Emeterius and Celedonius. These are saints who are connected to the city of Calahorra.
The Main Altar Piece
Inside the cathedral, there is a large and beautiful piece of art called a retable. This is a decorated screen or wall behind the altar. It was carved between 1537 and 1540 by an artist named Damián Forment. He created it in the Renaissance style, which was popular at that time. In the 20th century, this amazing retable was moved to a different part of the church.
The Famous Chickens
There is a famous story about Saint Dominic and two chickens. The story says that two cooked chickens came back to life! This happened to help a pilgrim who was wrongly accused of stealing. The chickens "testified" that the pilgrim was innocent.
Living Chickens in the Cathedral
Because of this miracle, a special tradition continues today. A pair of living chickens, who are descendants of the original chickens, are always kept in the choir loft of the cathedral. You can see them there! Other chickens from the same family are kept in the local place where pilgrims can stay. A similar story is told about a rooster in Portugal, known as the rooster of Barcelos.
Protecting This Special Place
The Camino de Santiago, which includes Santo Domingo de la Calzada, is a very important historical route. Because of its special value, UNESCO has named it a World Heritage Site. This means it is a place that is important to everyone in the world and should be protected.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral del Salvador (Santo Domingo de la Calzada) para niños
