Cartagena Cathedral (Colombia)

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The Cathedral of Cartagena , officially the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of St. Catherine of Alexandria ( spanish Metropolitan Catedral de Santa Catalina de Alejandria ), is a Roman Catholic church in the historic center of Cartagena in Colombia . The Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Cartagena is one of the oldest episcopal see in America. It is a national cultural heritage and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Cartagena. The minor basilica is dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria .

history

The current cathedral is the third building to be built as a bishopric in the city. The first was from 1535 for the previous year by Pope Paul III. created diocese built. The simple construction of rushes and thatched roofs was completed in 1537, just four years after the city was founded. After the city fire in 1552, the second cathedral was built in its place between 1563 and 1568, a little more solidly in wood and straw.

The construction of today's cathedral began not far in 1577. In 1586 the well advanced construction was badly damaged in the attack of the pirate Francis Drake on Cartagena. It could not be completed until 1612. The French architect Gastón Lelarge redesigned the church in the early 20th century and built the current tower.

1953 awarded Pope Pius XII. the cathedral the title of minor basilica. Due to its historical importance, its architectural and cultural value, the cathedral as part of the old town was declared a national monument of Colombia by decree in 1995 in 1911. In 1999 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the port, fortifications and monuments of the colonial era in Cartagena .

description

The cathedral was designed by the master builder Simón González in the Herrera style , characteristic of the reign of Philip II . Some Andalusian and Canarian basilicas served as models. The church was built as a three-aisled basilica , with a series of chapels extending from the gospel side. The cathedral has a beautiful door and a simply decorated interior. It has a gilded altar from the 18th century, the pulpit was made of Carrara marble. The central nave is supported by elegant arcades.

Under Lelarge the church was stuccoed and painted like marble. Noteworthy are the huge Stations of the Cross, carved in stone, on either side of the nave, as well as the four statues of Saints Peter , Paul , Gregory and Sebastian that adorned the facade, but were placed near the entrance in the nave in 2000 after restoration.

literature

  • Juan Luis Isaza Londoño, Dos iglesias cartageneras del siglo XVI: la Catedral y Santo Domingo . 2004, Revista APUNTES, Vol. 17, No. 1
  • Enrique Marco Dorta, Cartagena de Indias Puerto y plaza fuerte . Edited by Alfonso Amadó, 1960
  • Tulio sj Aristizábal, Iglesias, conventos y hospitales en Cartagena colonial. Banco de la República, Cartagena, 1998
  • Donaldo Bossa Herazo, Construcciones, demoliciones, restauraciones y remodelaciones en Cartagena de Indias , Gráficas el Faro, Cartagena, 1975

Web links

Commons : Cartagena Cathedral  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Catedral Basílica Metropolitana Santa Catalina de Alejandría on gcatholic.org
  2. ^ Ministerio de Educación Nacional: Decreto 1911 del 2 de noviembre de 1995. Retrieved October 20, 2019 (Spanish).
  3. ↑ Entry on the website of the UNESCO World Heritage Center ( English and French ).

Coordinates: 10 ° 25 ′ 25.1 ″  N , 75 ° 33 ′ 3.6 ″  W.