Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

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West facade of the cathedral

The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain is a cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela . It stands above a tomb that is attributed to the apostle James and is the destination of the Camino de Santiago . Due to the episcopal and papal recognition of the found bones as relics of James, the cathedral of Santiago is considered the burial church of the apostle James. The Armenian Jacob's Cathedral in Jerusalem claims to be in possession of the apostle's skull.

architecture

North facade of the cathedral

The construction of the cathedral began in 1075 under the reign of Alfonso VI. over the remains of an older 8th century church. In 1120 it became the seat of the first Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela Diego Gelmírez . Today only the Romanesque south portal (Puerta de las Platerías) is preserved in its original form. The numerous extensions to the cathedral bring together several architectural styles with the baroque west portal, the classicist north facade and the Gothic cloisters inside . The area was expanded from 8,200 m² to 23,000 m².

If you enter the cathedral from Obradoiro Square, via the double staircase, the first thing you encounter in the entrance of the west portal (Fachada del Obradoiro) is one of the cathedral's most important art treasures: the Pórtico de la Gloria . It was created by Maestro Mateo and his workshop until 1188. The portal, equipped with sculptures, is an artistic masterpiece.

If you walk through the Pórtico, your gaze falls through the central nave, which is almost 100 m long, 8.5 m wide and almost 20 m high, to the magnificent main altar opposite, which was erected over the apostle's tomb. The west facade corresponded to both the baroque desire for opulence and the need to protect the Pórtico de la Gloria, which had been losing its color for almost six centuries, from the rigors of the weather.

On the sides of the west facade rise the approximately 75 m high towers, of which the southern (right) bell tower ("Torre de las Campanas") and the northern (left) "Torre de las Carracas" - after the Rattling or creaking, which replace the ringing of bells during Holy Week (“semana santa”). In the central gable rises the statue of the apostle James in a representation as a pilgrim. His students Atanasius and Theodor accompany him to his sides and a little below.

In 1985 the old town of Santiago de Compostela - and with it the cathedral - was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The image of the cathedral adorns the small euro cent coins from Spain. The cathedral is also reproduced as a model in the Mini-Europa -Park in Brussels as a representative for Spain.

Furnishing

Interior view from the nave towards the choir

High altar

The high altar is covered by a gilded canopy . In the center of the reredos is a life-size, seated figure of St. James d. Ä., Whose shoulder cape rich u. a. is decorated with several scallops . To the right of the altar a staircase leads upwards behind this figure, where pilgrims can hug their shoulder from behind and give the following thanks: "¡Gracias amigo Santiago, hermano Santiago, por ayudarme a llegar hasta aquí! ¡Gracias por tu persona, por tu compañía , por tu testimonio, por tu legado! " (Spanish, German: "Thank you, dear friend and brother Jakobus, for helping me to get here. Thank you for yourself, for your company, for your testimony, for your legacy.")

crypt

Under the high altar is the crypt , with the actual goal of the Jakbosweg, a silver shrine that is said to contain the bones of the apostle James (see controversies about the Spanish legend of James ). In addition, a golden crucifix dated to the year 874 is venerated in the crypt , in which a splinter of the True Cross is said to have been incorporated. The entrance to the crypt is on the left behind the high altar.

Portico de la Gloria

Pórtico de la Gloria, heliography 1889

The three-part main portal of the cathedral in the west was designed by the master builder Maestro Mateo in the 12th century. His iconographic program is heavily influenced by the Revelation of John . So at the center of the middle arch stands Christ both as Savior and as Judge. The wounds of the crucifixion on the hands and feet as well as on his right side remind of the Savior who died on the cross . The angels arranged on the right and left accordingly carry attributes of the Passion: column, cross, crown of thorns, nails, lance, inscription on the cross , water jug ​​of Pontius Pilate , whip and another torture instrument, a pipe with a vinegar sponge. Around Christ there are statues of the four evangelists ( Rev 4 : 6–8  EU ). They use - with the exception of Matthew the Evangelist - that assigned to them evangelist portrait as a writing surface. The archivolt represents the 24 elders with their instruments. They prepare their instruments and look at each other. To the right and left of Christ and the Evangelists in the central arch are the redeemed in long robes ( Rev 3,5  EU ) and equipped with crowns ( Rev 2,10  EU ).

Botafumeiro

The famous botafumeiro is panned through the transept on high holidays or on request . It is an approximately 1.60 m large censer , which hangs from the ceiling on a 66 m long rope, is set in motion by eight men after the high mass and swung high under the ceiling. In addition to its usual function in the liturgical celebration, the botafumeiro served to neutralize the smell of the pilgrims who, after their pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago, spent a whole night waking and praying in the cathedral.

  • Detail of the high altar

  • Back of the seated figure of St. James on the high altar

  • Reliquary in the crypt

  • The botafumeiro

organ

Southern organ prospect

The organ of the Cathedral of Santiago was built in the years 1977–1978 by the organ building company Mascioni (Italy) in the historical organ case by Manuel de las Viñas from the years 1704–1712. The pipe material from the previous organs was reused. The instrument has 59 registers on three manuals and a pedal . The actions are electromagnetic.

I positivo C – c 4
01. Principal 08th'
02. Flautado chimenea 08th'
03. Flauta 04 ′
04th Sesquiáltera 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′
05. Quincena 02 ′
06th Decinovena 1 1 ⁄ 3  ′
07th Veintidosena 01'
08th. Címbala II
09. Trompeta Real 08th'
10. Cromorno 08th'
Tremolo
II Gran Organo C-c 4
11. Principal 16 ′
12. Bordón 16 ′
13. Principal 08th'
14th Flautado 08th'
15th Flauta 08th'
16. Octava 04 ′
17th Flauta Chimenea 04 ′
18th Docena 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′
19th Quincena 02 ′
20th Decinovena
21st Veintidosena
22nd Veintiseisena
23. Veintinovena
24. Lleno IV
25th Corneta V 08th'
26th Trompeta Magna 16 ′
27. Trompeta Real 08th'
28. Trompeta 08th'
29 Clarín 04 ′
III Recitativo C – c 4
30th Quintadena 16 ′
31. Principal 08th'
32. Bordón 08th'
33. Viola da gamba 08th'
34. Octava 04 ′
35. Flauta 04 ′
36. Lleno V
37. Nazardo 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′
38. Flautín 02 ′
39. Flauta diecisetena 1 3 ⁄ 5  ′
40. Voz celeste 08th'
41. Bassoon 16 ′
42. Trompeta Real 08th'
43. Clarín 04 ′
Tremolo
Pedal C – g 1
44. Cons 16 ′
45. Subbajo 16 ′
46. Bordón 16 ′
47. Quinta 10 2 ⁄ 3  ′
48. Bajo 08th'
49. Principal 08th'
50. Bordón 08th'
51. Quinta 5 1 ⁄ 3  ′
52. Octava 04 ′
53. Flauta 04 ′
54. Lleno VI
55. Bombarda 16 ′
56. Bassoon 16 ′
57. Trompeta 08th'
58. Bassoon 08th'
59. Clarín 04 ′
  • Pairing :
    • Normal coupling: III / I, I / II, III / II, I / P, II / P, III / P,
    • Super octave coupling: I / I, III / I, I / II, II / II, III / II, III / III, I / P, II / P, III / P
    • Sub-octave coupling: I / I, I / II
  • Playing aids : Electronic setting system , various storage facilities.

literature

in alphabetical order by authors / editors

  • Kenneth J. Conant: The early architectural history of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Cambridge / Mass. 1926
  • Kenneth J. Conant: Arquitectura Románica da Catedral de Santiago de Compostela. Santiago de Compostela 1983 (new edition of the standard work first published in 1926)
  • José Guerra Campos / Jesús Precedo Lafuente: Guia de la Catedral de Santiago de Compostela. Santiago de Compostela 1981
  • Christoph Kühn: The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The destination of the Camino de Santiago. In: Star Path. Announcements of the German St. Jakobus Society , 17th year 2004, issue 33, pp. 17-23, issue 34, pp. 14-21.
  • Annette Münchmeyer, Sönke Kruse: Master Mateo - Skilled Artist or Medieval Engineer? (PDF). In: Karl-Eugen Kurrer , Werner Lorenz , Volker Wetzk (eds.): Proceedings of the Third International Congress on Construction History . Neunplus, Berlin 2009, ISBN 978-3-936033-31-1 , pp. 1081-1088
  • Francisco Singul Lorenzo (ed.): The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela - The destination of the Camino de Santiago. Santiago de Compostela 1995
  • Anke Wunderwald / Jens Rüffer: The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Construction - design - program. In: Communications from the Carl Justi Association for the Promotion of Art Research Cooperation with Spain and Portugal, 20th year 2008, pp. 134–138.


Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Cathedral brochure, Spanish (PDF). German version , accessed on December 2, 2018
  2. ↑ See Serfín Moralejo Álvarez. The Portico og Glory, A Coruña 2008 (translated by Nick Shaw), 1 u.ö.
  3. ↑ See Serfín Moralejo Álvarez. The Portico og Glory, A Coruña 2008 (translated by Nick Shaw), 12-14.
  4. ↑ So the interpretation of Rosalía de Castro in Serfín Moralejo Álvarez , 14.
  5. ↑ More information on the cathedral organ ( Memento from June 7, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) (Spanish) (PDF; 189 kB).

Web links

Commons : Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 42 ° 52 ′ 50 "  N , 8 ° 32 ′ 38"  W.