Leon Cathedral

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Facade with three-portal system

The Gothic Cathedral of Santa María de Regla of León is the episcopal church of the Diocese of León and is located in north-western Spain on the Camino de Santiago to Santiago de Compostela . It still has a large part of the stained glass windows from the Middle Ages.

history

The main construction period of the approx. 90 m long and 30 m wide cathedral is between the years 1255 (or shortly before 1255) and 1302 (or 1303; almost completed, but without towers). Since Martín Fernandez was appointed bishop in 1254, there has been more frequent mention in the written sources of a “new church”.

The first master builder was apparently the "Master Enrique", who had previously built the transept and nave of the Burgos Cathedral between 1243 and 1260 (a Spaniard named Juan Pérez is also mentioned). "Master Enrique" was in charge of construction from 1255 to 1277. However, it was not - like Burgos and Toledo - based on the Cathedral of Bourges but on the Cathedral of Reims . The experiences that “Master Enrique” had in Burgos evidently prompted him to be daring, which centuries later took great revenge. "He refined and reduced the profile of the pillars and created a glazed triforium" (Swaan, p. 272). Many openings later had to be bricked up. In the middle of the 19th century the structure was about to collapse and had to be completely restored. The new building lasted from 1859 to 1901.

Three years after the start of construction, the chapel wreath was under construction in 1258 . In 1302 the work apparently stopped, probably due to financial problems. This may also be the reason for the comparatively short nave of only five bays, for the lack of a tower in the transept and for the peculiar facade construction. The upper parts of the cathedral were not completed until 1439. The technical execution of the building was rather modest, which is why a thorough restoration was necessary in the 19th century.

architecture

Overall view of the cathedral

The floor plan shows the clear orientation towards Reims Cathedral. The three-aisled nave goes over a three-aisled transept into a five-aisled choir , or into a choir with a walkway and chapel wreath, consisting of five identical chapels. The uniformity of the choir is underlined by the same vaults. León is called the most strongly French of all Spanish cathedrals (Wilckens, p. 120). This can be seen in the high proportions of the interior, in the extensive dissolution of the walls with glazed triforium and in the rich six-lane tracery windows.

However, this does not apply to the facade. The two mighty 90 m high corner towers are only connected to the nave on the ground floor by the portal system. The upper floors have no connection to it. In addition, the towers are not in the extension of the aisles, but next to them.

“The building gives the impression that the exterior follows a first plan suggested directly by Reims, while the central nave adjoins more recent ideas of the Ile-de-France.” (Erlande-Brandenburg, p. 544) In contrast to Toledo León has no impact on the country's further architectural history.

Stained glass window

Famous are the stained glass windows of the church, which were created from the 13th to the 20th century by partly unknown masters. The 125 windows are partly 12 m high and cover an area of ​​approx. 1800 m². There are also 57 openings and roses and three large rose windows. Basically, the top row of windows is best preserved, the glazing of the triforium and arcades was replaced in the 19th century, only individual tracery in the pointed arches are still in their original condition.

The rosette of the west portal was completed towards the end of the 13th century, the representation of the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus in the center as well as the twelve angels surrounding them were added in the 19th century. In the nave, the glazing on the north side of the upper aisle, except for the first and last window, dates from the 13th and 14th centuries; it mainly shows prophets and saints . The oldest, fifth window, where secular motifs predominate, is striking. The glass windows on the south side date from the 15th century. Only the first window there is older, but partially restored.

The upper stained glass windows of the choir are among the oldest in the cathedral and all date from the 13th century, with partial restoration in the northern part and unmistakably the easternmost window in the center of the choir. They each show two figures of saints or angels on top of each other. The east windows of the transept were made only a little later, the west windows in the 15th century. Both rosettes of the transept were added in the 19th century.

Portal system of the facade

The five-part vestibule of the west facade was built from the middle to the end of the 13th century. The design of this sophisticated three-portal system was based on the most important model at the time, the transept portals of Chartres Cathedral . The main portal, the Portada de le Virgen Blanca , shows the Trumeaupfeiler the Mother of God, created by the master, to 1255-1260, the Coronería the Cathedral of Burgos has created. Today's figure is a copy. The original is in the central chapel of the parlor choir.

North side with portal viewed from the cloister

The tympanum in the center shows Christ as Judge of the Last Judgment . There are very deep three-dimensional reliefs, ie the figures are almost free plastic. The tympanum has a height of 5.20 m and a width of 4.60 m. It is dated to 1270/80. As in Chartres, the figures are protected under a porch, which explains their excellent state of preservation. The lintel shows in a very refined representation on the left the bliss of the chosen ones in the sense of the cultivated court society.

The Spanish delight in strong decoration is evident in the garment figures, especially in the rich pleating of the clothing.

Portal system of the north transept

Erected around the year 1300, the tympanum shows the Ascension of Christ . The figure of Christ in the mandorla achieves a new monumentality through a simplified stylization. In the garment are the figures of the Annunciation and the Holy Apostles James the Elder Ä. , Peter and Paul .

organ

Choir room with organ prospects

The large organ was built by the organ building company Johannes Klais (Bonn) and inaugurated on September 21, 2013. The design and disposition comes from the French composer and organist Jean Guillou , the housing and brochure design submitted by the Spanish artist Paco Chamorro Pascual. The entire instrument is placed in the choir, on both sides of the choir in the side niches: Manuals I and II on the east side of the choir, side by side, on the west side the sections of the swell (which can be played from the third manual), respectively next to each other, and in front of them the fourth and fifth manuals. The pedals are located on both sides. The organ has a total of 64 registers (including eleven transmitted registers) on five manuals (six individual works) and a pedal. The playing and stop actions are electric.

I. Manual C-c 4
1. Double flute 08th'
2. Forest flute 02 ′
3. Larigot 01 1 ⁄ 3  ′
4th Cymbal II 01'
5. Aliquot II 01 1 ⁄ 7  ′
6th Dulcian 0000000000 16 ′
7th Cromorne 08th'
Tremulant

II. Manual C-c 4
8th. Principal 16 ′
9. Principal 08th'
10. Big flute 08th'
11. Octave 04 ′
12. Grossnasard 05 1 ⁄ 3  ′
13. Major third 03 1 ⁄ 5  ′
14th Duplicate 02 ′
15th Cornet III-V 02 2 ⁄ 3  ′
16. Big Fittings III 0 04 ′
17th Plein jeu III-V 02 2 ⁄ 3  ′
18th bassoon 16 ′
19th Trumpet 08th'
20th oboe 08th'
III Schwellwerke C – c 4
Section A.
21st Salicional 08th'
22nd Unda maris 08th'
23. Flûte octaviante 02 ′
24. Larigot 01 1 ⁄ 3  ′
25th Rauschpfeife IV 0 02 ′
26th Basson 16 ′
27. Hautbois 08th'
28. Voix humaine 08th'
Tremulant

Section B.
29 Principal 08th'
30th Night horn 08th'
31. Flûte conique 04 ′
32. Carillon II-III 01 3 ⁄ 5  ′
33. Trumpet 08th'
IV. Manual C-c 4
34. Flûte majeure 16 ′
35. Principal 00000000000 08th'
36. Flûte harmonique 08th'
37. Flûte octaviante 04 ′
38. Nazard harmonique 02 2 ⁄ 3  ′
39. Night horn 02 ′
40. Tierce harmonique 01 3 ⁄ 5  ′
41. Piccolo 01'
42. Théorbe III 03 1 ⁄ 5  ′
43. Bombard 16 ′
44. Trumpet en chamade 08th'

V. Manual C-c 4
45. Principal 00000000000 08th'
46. Reed flute 08th'
47. recorder 04 ′
48. Sesquialtera II 02 2 ⁄ 3  ′
49. Piccolo 01'
50. Mixture III 01 1 ⁄ 3  ′
51. Ranquette 16 ′
52. Dulzaina 08th'
Tremulant
Pedal C – f 1
53. Principal 16 ′
54. flute 16 ′
55. Fifth 10 2 ⁄ 3  ′
56. flute 08th'
57. flute 04 ′
58. Night horn 02 ′
59. Théorbe III 06 2 ⁄ 5  ′
60. Back set III 0 05 1 ⁄ 3  ′
61. Bombard 16 ′
62. bassoon 16 ′
63. bassoon 08th'
64. Schalmey 04 ′
  • Pairing :
    • Normal coupling: I / II, III / I, III / II, IV / I, IV / II, IV / III, V / II, V / III, V / IV, I / P, II / P, III / P, IV / P, V / P
    • Sub-octave coupling: I / II, III / II, III / III, V / II, V / P
  • Remarks:
  1. ↑ a b c north side of the choir.
  2. ↑ a b c horizontal register.
  3. ↑ a b south side of the choir.
  4. ↑ On both sides of the choir.

literature

  • Rosario Álvarez Martínez: Music Iconography of Romanesque Sculpture in the Light of Sculptors' Work Procedures: The Jaca Cathedral, Las Platerías in Santiago de Compostela, and San Isidoro de León . In: Music in Art: International Journal for Music Iconography . 27, No. 1-2, 2002, ISSN  1522-7464 , pp. 13-45.
  • Alain Erlande-Brandenburg : Gothic Art . Herder, Freiburg et al. 1984, ISBN 3-451-19403-1 , ( Ars Antiqua Series 3, 3), pp. 68, 81, 543.
  • Natascha Kubisch: The Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. On the way to art and culture of the Middle Ages . Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 2002, ISBN 3-8062-1675-4 , pp. 112-116 .
  • Máximo Gómez Rascón: Catedral de León. Las vidrieras. Edilesa, Leon 2000. ISBN 84-8012-311-7
  • Otto von Simson: The Middle Ages II. The high Middle Ages . Propylaen Verlag , Berlin et al. [1972] 1990, ISBN 3-549-05046-1 , ( Propylaen-Kunstgeschichte 6).
  • Wim Swaan: The great cathedrals . DuMont Buchverlag , Cologne 1969, ISBN 3-7701-3817-1 , p. 272-274 .
  • Leonie von Wilckens: Outline of occidental art history . Unchanged reprint of the 1st edition in 1967. Kröner, Stuttgart 1981, ISBN 3-520-37301-7 ( Kröner's pocket edition 373), pp. 120, 148.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ cf. the information on the website of the builder company
  2. ↑ More information about the organ on the cathedral website (Spanish); available for disposition

Web links

Commons : Cathedral of León  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 42 ° 35 ′ 58 ″  N , 5 ° 34 ′ 0 ″  W.