Cathedral Basilica of Zacatecas

Last updated
Cathedral Basilica of Zacatecas
Catedral Basílica de la Asunción de María de Zacatecas
2008 08 16 Zacatecas (3).JPG
Cathedral of Zacatecas
Religion
Affiliation Roman Catholic
District Diocese of Zacatecas
Ecclesiastical or organizational status Cathedral and minor basilica
Year consecrated 1752;272 years ago (1752)
Location
Location Zacatecas, Mexico
Geographic coordinates 22°46′32″N102°34′20″W / 22.77556°N 102.57222°W / 22.77556; -102.57222
Architecture
Architect(s) Domingo Ximénez Hernández
Style Churrigueresque, New Spanish Baroque, Neoclassical
Groundbreaking1731;293 years ago (1731)
Completed(Rest of the church) 1752;272 years ago (1752)
(Top of North tower) 1904;120 years ago (1904)
Spire(s)2
Official namePart of the Historic Centre of Zacatecas
TypeCultural
Criteriaii, iv
Designated1993 (17th session)
Reference no. 676
Region Latin America and the Caribbean

The Cathedral of Zacatecas, dedicated to the Virgin of the Assumption, is the main temple of the Diocese of Zacatecas. Located in the historic center of the city, declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Contents

History

Before the current building there were two temples. The first, was built in the year 1568, as a parish of the city, which was small. A second temple was built in place of the previous one, and it is known that it was consecrated in the year 1625.

It is the result of a construction process that began in 1550 when the plan for the first parish in the city was laid out. After several constructions, additions of chapels and renovations and occasional fires that occurred over 170 years, a definitive project was reached in 1732 that sought to integrate some walls and sculptures of the previous temples to build.

In order to build a larger temple worthy of the city of "the aristocrats of silver", and that would have more space, the walls of the current building were raised in its place. Built mainly between 1731 and 1752, the work was in charge of Domingo Ximénez Hernández. [1] The first stone was laid by Don José de Izarraguirre, episcopal vicar. The work was dedicated in the year 1752 and was consecrated until 1841; It was not completely finished until 1904, the year in which the topped of the "imafronte" and the north tower were completed; this last work carried out by the lyrical master builder Dámaso Muñetón. This tower has a clock donated by Governor Genaro García Rojas.

It possesses three facades, the northern one is dedicated to the Santo Cristo de la Parroquia, considered by the ancient miners as being extremely miraculous; the southern one honours Our Lady of the Zacatecas, patron saint of the city; while the principal one was finished on April, 24 of 1745, this one takes inspiration of the Sacred Communion; in it can be found the representations of the Holy Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit being accompanied by the Apostles, all around the Eucharist, carved in the key of the rosette window.

On January 26, 1863, Pope Pius IX issued the bull that erected the Diocese of Zacatecas, raising the rank of the temple to a cathedral. The third temple, already with three naves, had its baroque wooden altarpieces, which were replaced by quarry ones, possibly designed by the Valencian architect Manuel Tolsá between 1803 and 1847, except for the largest one.

The building

The floor of the building is shaped like a Latin cross. Three naves, the main and two sides, with less than the first. It has two side access covers, worked in stone and with no less detail than the first, the latter, the best finish and detail of Baroque art in the country. The original dome was replaced by the current, which bears a strong resemblance to the Templo de Loreto in Mexico City. It is octagonal, with lantern, surmounted by a wrought iron cross.

The building's exterior is covered with pink stone and are very worked both portals and towers, unlike the interior of sober neoclassical.

The main facade

The superb main portal was completed in 1745. Catedral zacatecas.jpg
The superb main portal was completed in 1745.

Elegant and decorated as a show of lace carved in stone. It consists of three bodies. The first three columns of Corinthian capital, with the stem highly ornamented with angels and plant motifs, mainly vines between each column are located in niches with pedestals that houses the stone carvings of the apostles St. James, St. Peter, St. Paul and St. Andrew. The entrance arch is mixtilineal, is also decorated with reliefs of diamonds, angels and floral motifs.

The second-level houses the window of the choir, of Worth, mixtilineal finishing with moldings and framed by a ring excessively decorated with plant motifs, anthropomorphic and in high relief type key cup and in the corners of it, the four doctors of the Latin Church with their respective attributes, (St. Gregory the Great, St. Jerome, St. Augustine of Hippo and St. Ambrose of Milan, the first two in the top corners and the last two in the bottom corners). Three columns decorated with plants and vines guard the window of the choir. Similarly in the second body between each column is a niche with a pedestal, four in total, with sculptures of saints.

The third, smaller body has five niches flanked by Baroque pilasters, decorated by floral motifs, and holding five sculptures: Four apostles and the central niche is chaired by the sculpture of Jesus Christ.

The pediment of the façade presents a picture of the glory of the Eternal Father, who, one could say, presides over the whole scene.

It is said that the color of façade's stones changes with the sunlight throughout the day, so the best time to observe is between 14.30 and 18.00 hours.

The side portals

With two side doorways. The first, north, dedicated to Lord of the parish. It consists of two parts, the first arc of half point, its spandrels have vegetable ornaments and angels, has a copy in stone of a Christ who is inside. On either side figures of caryatids with plant motifs and cherubs. The second body, more elaborate than the first, a set framed by columns stipes with the image of Christ, the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, with a curtain deployed by angels. Have a shot mixtilineal.

The South portal, dedicated to Our Lady of Zacatecas, whose sculpture is in a niche, this is mentioned to have been sculpted by an artist sentenced to death, he saved his sentence with this sculpture. The facade, with two bodies: the first with arch, flanked by baroque columns, decorated with plant motifs. The second section presents the above image, guarded by two caryatids columns.

Interior InsideCathedralZacatecas03.JPG
Interior
Interior Interior de la catedral de Zacatecas 4.jpg
Interior

The interior

The cathedral's interior bears an austere and functional appearance, which greatly contrasts with its richly decorated exterior. This can be seen with its large Doric columns and neoclassical side altars. On the keys of the arches, there are Marian symbols, figures of saints, evangelist, clergy and objects of passion.

The cathedral contains an altar designed by artist Javier Marín from Michoacan, which is gilded in 24-carat gold. It is 17 feet high and ten wide and covered with 25 kg (55 lb) of gold from Mazapil. It was constructed from geometric prisms born of the upper platform of the sanctuary and contains niches where elaborate images of saints are placed. It weighs about 20 tons and is made of Finnish birch, a very hard wood that neither expands or shrinks, as it does not react to changes in humidity. The altarpiece has eleven images. At the top is the Virgin of the Assumption, who is consecrated the temple. On both sides are the parents of the Virgin, Santa Ana and San Joaquin. In the lower part are San Juan Bautista, San Agustin, Santo Domingo, San Antonio de Padua and San Ignacio de Loyola. On the sides were placed images of the martyrs San Mateo Correa and Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro. The cross is made of bronze and measures 4.2 meters high and two meters wide.

Main altarpiece

Former cypress (altarpiece) of the cathedral, photo of the late 19th century. Former Cypress of the Cathedral of Zacatecas (Mexico) late 19th century.jpg
Former cypress (altarpiece) of the cathedral, photo of the late 19th century.
The new altarpiece Retablo mayor de la Catedral de Zacatecas (Javier Marin).jpg
The new altarpiece

The third temple, already with three naves, had its Baroque wooden altarpieces, which were replaced by quarry ones, possibly designed by the Valencian architect Manuel Tolsá between 1803 and 1847, except for the largest one, which is said to have been dismantled in 1852. thus causing an architectural and liturgical vacuum.

Subsequently, a first cypress was built in this same year, which remained until 1895, which was later replaced by a second smaller one, thus giving rise to the concern to cover the front wall with an allegorical painting of the Assumption of the Virgin, a work carried out by Master Manuel Pastrana. In 1920 this Painting was removed, leaving only the Carrara marble cypress placed in 1913 as a liturgical setting. Finally, in 1964 said cypress was removed along with the polychrome of the entire interior.

Finally, the construction of a new altarpiece for the main altar, designed by the Michoacán artist Javier Marín, was started and was completed in 2010. The altar is all covered with 24-carat gold leaf. It is 17 meters high and ten meters wide, covered by 25 kilos of this metal, extracted from the bowels of the semi-desert in Zacatecas (Mazapil, Zac.). It was built from geometric prisms born from the high platform of the presbytery, which create spaces in the form of niches where the elaborate images of the saints sit. It weighs about 20 tons and is made of Finnish birch, a very resistant wood that neither expands nor shrinks, since it does not react to changes in humidity. The altarpiece has eleven images. At the top is the Virgin of the Assumption, to whom the temple is consecrated. On its two sides are the parents of the Virgin, Saint Anne and Saint Joachim. At the bottom are Saint John the Baptist, Saint Augustine, Saint Francis, Saint Dominic, Saint Anthony of Padua, and Saint Ignatius of Loyola. On the sides were placed the images of the Zacatecas martyrs San Mateo Correa and Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro. The cross was made in bronze "lost wax" and measures 4.2 meters high and two meters wide.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Altarpiece</span> Religious artwork behind an altar

An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting or sculpture, or a set of them, the word can also be used of the whole ensemble behind an altar, otherwise known as a reredos, including what is often an elaborate frame for the central image or images. Altarpieces were one of the most important products of Christian art especially from the late Middle Ages to the era of the Counter-Reformation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morelia Cathedral</span> Church in Morelia, Mexico

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Morelia is a religious site that is the seat of the Archdiocese of Morelia of the Catholic church in Mexico. It is located as its name itself says in the city of Morelia, capital of the state of Michoacán, Mexico. The cathedral is located in the first square of the city, forming the trace of the Historic Center of Morelia. The building was built in the 18th century at the time of the viceroyalty, it is Baroque in style and is made of pink stone that gives it a peculiar and characteristic color. An important family group headed by Sebastián de Guedea collaborated in its construction for a long period; They were Andrés, Pedro, Diego, Miguel, Anastacio, Lorenzo and Joseph, all with the surname Guedea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of St. Elizabeth</span> Cathedral in Košice, Slovakia

The Cathedral of St. Elizabeth, also called Saint Elizabeth Cathedral, is a Gothic cathedral in Košice, Slovakia. It is the largest church in Slovakia and one of the easternmost Gothic cathedrals in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of the Savior of Zaragoza</span>

The Cathedral of the Savior or La Seo de Zaragoza is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Zaragoza, in Aragon, Spain. It is part of the World Heritage Site Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Cathedral of Salamanca</span> Cathedral of Salamanca, Spain

The Catedral de la Asunción de la Virgen, popularly known as New Cathedral is, together with the Old Cathedral, one of the two cathedrals of Salamanca, Castile and León, Spain. It is the seat of the diocese of Salamanca. It was constructed between 1533 and 1733 mixing late Gothic, Plateresque and Baroque styles. It was commissioned by Ferdinand V of Castile. It is one of the largest cathedrals in Spain in size and its bell tower, at 92 meters high, is also one of the tallest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assisi Cathedral</span> Church in Assisi, Italy

Assisi Cathedral, dedicated to San Rufino, is a major church in Assisi, Italy. This stately church in Umbrian Romanesque style was the third church built on the same site to contain the remains of bishop Rufinus of Assisi, martyred in the 3rd century. The construction was started in 1140 to the designs by Giovanni da Gubbio, as attested by the wall inscription visible inside the apse. He may be the same Giovanni who designed the rose-window on the façade of Santa Maria Maggiore in 1163.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral</span> Church in Mexico City, Mexico

The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico. It is situated on top of the former Aztec sacred precinct near the Templo Mayor on the northern side of the Plaza de la Constitución (Zócalo) in the historic center of Mexico City. The cathedral was built in sections from 1573 to 1813 around the original church that was constructed soon after the Spanish conquest of Tenochtitlan, eventually replacing it entirely. Spanish architect Claudio de Arciniega planned the construction, drawing inspiration from Gothic cathedrals in Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puebla Cathedral</span> Roman Catholic cathedral of Puebla, Mexico

The Basilica Cathedral of Puebla, as the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is known according to its Marian invocation, is the episcopal see of the Archdiocese of Puebla de los Ángeles (Mexico). It is one of the most important buildings in the historic center of Puebla declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It has the prerogative of being the first sumptuous temple that under fine architectural designs was built in the Americas, consecrated in 1649, ahead of the Metropolitan of Mexico that was dedicated in 1653. It was founded by Philip II of Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ajaccio Cathedral</span>

Ajaccio Cathedral, officially the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption of Ajaccio and also known as the Cathedral of the Assumption of Saint Mary, is a Roman Catholic church located in Ajaccio, Corsica. The cathedral is the ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Ajaccio, a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Marseille. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and is in the Baroque/Mannerist architectural style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santo Domingo (Mexico City)</span>

Santo Domingo in Mexico City refers to the Church of Santo Domingo and its Plaza, also called Santo Domingo. Both are located three blocks north of the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral following República de Brasil Street with Belisario Dominguez Street separating the two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Enseñanza Church</span> Church in Mexico

La Enseñanza Church (1772-1778) is located on 104 Donceles Street in the historic center of Mexico City. The Mexican Churrigueresque style of this church, especially that of its altarpieces, is upheld as the pinnacle of the Baroque period in Mexico, as this style soon gave way to the Neoclassic shortly after this church was built. The church’s official name is Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Pilar. The former convent was called El Convento de la Enseñanza La Antigua, from which is derived the church’s popular name. After the Reform War, the convent was disbanded. The complex has had various uses, but the church has been returned to its sacred function.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Laguna Cathedral</span> Church in Tenerife, Spain

The Cathedral of San Cristóbal de La Laguna or Catedral de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios is a Roman Catholic church in Tenerife, Spain. Begun in 1904 and completed in 1915, it is dedicated to the Virgin of Los Remedios. The cathedral is the mother church of the diocese, which includes the islands of Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It is therefore where the episcopal seat of the bishop of this diocese, currently occupied by Bishop Bernardo Álvarez Afonso. This is one of the most important churches of the Canary Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acquaviva delle Fonti Cathedral</span>

The co-cathedral of Saint Eustace is the main church of Acquaviva delle Fonti. The dedication is to Saint Eustace. It is now a co-cathedral of the Diocese of Altamura-Gravina-Acquaviva delle Fonti. Previously it was the palatine church of Acquaviva delle Fonti, which became part of the territorial prelature of Altamura e Acquaviva delle Fonti formed by Pius IX in 1848, when he added Acquaviva to the existing territorial prelature of Altamura.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sigüenza Cathedral</span> Historic site in Castile-La Mancha, Spain

The Cathedral of Sigüenza, officially Catedral de Santa María de Sigüenza, is the seat of the bishop of Sigüenza, in the town of Sigüenza, in Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It was declared Bien de Interés Cultural in 1931.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarragona Cathedral</span>

The Primatial Cathedral of Tarragona is a Roman Catholic church in Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. The edifice is located in a site previously occupied by a Roman temple dating to the time of Tiberius, a Visigothic cathedral, and a Moorish mosque. It was declared a national monument in 1905.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Co-Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, Prešov</span> Church in Prešov, Slovakia

The Co-Cathedral of Saint Nicholas in Prešov is one of the oldest and most important churches in Slovakia. The external dimensions of the cathedral are 54.7m in length, 34.45m in width. The indoor nave is 16 m tall and tower reaches a height of 71 meters. The temple's design takes inspiration from the Late Gothic hall churches with three naves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regina Coeli Convent Church</span> Church building in Mexico City, Mexico

Regina Coeli Convent Church is a Roman Catholic parish church and former convent built in the historic center of Mexico City, on the corner of Regina and Bolivar Streets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monastery of San Martiño Pinario</span>

The monastery of San Martiño Pinario was a Benedictine monastery in the city of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain. It is the second largest monastery in Spain after San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (Meco)</span> Cultural property in Meco, Spain

The Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción is a church and parish in Meco, Spain. The church was added to the Bien de Interés Cultural registry in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of La Compañía, Quito</span> Jesuit church in Quito, Ecuador

The Church and Convent of San Ignacio de Loyola de la Compañía de Jesús de Quito, also known in the Ecuadorian people simply as La Compañía, is a Catholic clerical complex located on the corner formed by calles García Moreno and Sucre, in the Historic Center of the city of Quito, capital of Ecuador. The façade of its main temple is entirely carved in volcanic stone. Over time, this church has also been called: "Temple of Solomon of South America". Father Bernardo Recio, a traveling Jesuit, called it "Golden Ember".

References

  1. 1 2 "Gente frente a la Catedral de Zacatecas". mediateca. Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia .
  2. Carl Nebel (1836). Voyage pittoresque et archeologique dans la partie la plus interessante du Mexique / par C. Nebel. Paris: Imprimie Paul Renouard.{{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  3. ""Mercado y Catedral de Zacatecas", vista parcial". mediateca. Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia .