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View of Segovia’s Cathedral |
CATHEDRAL |
The Cathedral of St. Mary is known as the Lady, and it is a great stone temple constructed upon the highest point of the city (at 1,006 mts. above sea level) at the Main Plaza of Segovia. Construction began in 1525, following a late gothic style; and was built after the stripping of the Old Cathedral which was of romanic style, but had been destroyed during the War of the Communities. It was found were the gardens of the Alcazar are today. Some of the elements were used for other religious buildings, such as the baptismal, and some of its stones were used in the new cathedral.
The architect Juan Gil of Montañon had the enthusiastic support of the community to take on the endeavor to finish the job. His son continued it and for that reasons it cannot be denied that it belongs to the new school of design like the New Cathedral of Salamanca. It is 105 mts. long, 50 mts wide and 33 mts. tall in the main nave. It was inaugurated in 1558 and consecrated in 1768. The façade, naturally found towards West in order to use up to the last sun ray. As part of it, The Gate of the Pardon houses an Immaculate Virgin.
Upon entering by the Gate of the Saint Frutos of the 17th cent., patron of the city, you can rest your sight upon a grandiose view filled with fountains, slim columns and the color dancing from the windows of the 16th cent. In front of it, the beautiful gothic cloister of hispanic-flemish style with a well in its center, was constructed in 1470.
Main Nave of the Lady, View of the Apse |
In the interior, the Main Altar is carved in marble, jasper and bronze was financed by King Charles III. In the perimeter of the ambulatory as well as main nave there are 7 and 12 chapels respectively with their corresponding historical artistic treasures as they are appreciable in the plan.
In its museum, boards of Berruguete or of Sánchez Coello, as well as delicate pieces of silver, tapestries, and archive documents, codexes, incunables and The Codex of Aguilafuente, one of the first books printed in Spain (1472). Inside of it, the bishops were prohibited from intervening in matters of politics or war.
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