Vic Cathedral
The Vic Cathedral , consecrated to the Apostle Peter ( Sant Pere ), is the episcopal church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Vic in the Catalan city of Vic . The older parts of today's church were completed in 1038 under Bishop Oliba . Rebuilt in a later period, it is one of the most important historical buildings in Catalonia and shows a mixture of styles that ranges from Romanesque to Gothic to Classicism . Pope Leo XIII. awarded the building the rank of minor basilica in 1893 .
location
The cathedral is located about 25 meters above the Riu Meder at the highest point in Vic. The Riu Meder joins the Riu Gurri about a kilometer to the east .
history
A first cathedral in Vic is already recorded for the year 516; this or a successor building was destroyed during the conquest ( conquista ) of large parts of the Iberian Peninsula by the Moors . The reconstruction of the old cathedral was only after successful recapture ( reconquista ) and (recolonization repoblación ) of nordkatalonischen areas late 9th century under Count Wilfried I. begun. In 1018 his great-grandson Oliba de Besalú was appointed bishop of Vic ; this began immediately with a new building, which was consecrated in 1038 and of which the crypt and the - originally free-standing - bell tower ( campanar ) have been preserved. The late Gothic cloister on the south side was built in the 14th century ; Some of the side chapels of the church date from the Baroque period . In the years 1781 to 1803, extensive demolition and new construction measures were carried out, which largely determine the appearance of today's cathedral.
architecture
Build Olibas
In the course of excavations, a single-nave floor plan in the form of a Latin cross was determined for the building of Oliba . The building also had a transept with five apses ; the crossing was raised by a drum-like structure ( cimbori ).
Bell tower
The most striking component of the Cathedral of Vic is the 46-meter-high bell tower, stabilized by corner pilasters , which - as with many towers in the Lombard architectural style - was not connected to the church structure, but stood freely next to it. The storeys of the tower are marked by round arch friezes and serrated bands; the window and sound openings get wider and wider from bottom to top and give the massive structure a high degree of elegance and lightness. The upper floor of the tower, which serves as a guard platform, probably dates from the 15th / 16th centuries. Century.
crypt
The cathedral's crypt, made of roughly hewn stones, has three aisles; by transverse arches undergoing groin vault are six columns with ancient capitals worn. Mass celebrations are held in the crypt on weekdays today.
Cloister
Although cloisters primarily to monasteries include, but possessed many cathedrals and collegiate of such, the spiritual collection serving corridors for members of the cathedral chapter , or the canons . The late Gothic cloister of Vic Cathedral dates from the early 14th century and has richly designed tracery windows in the style of the time that are always slightly different in decor compared to their neighbors . Also worth seeing are the wall sarcophagus resting on consoles of a canon buried here from 1290 and the monument to the philosopher Jaume Balmes (1810–1848), who was born and deceased in Vic, in the middle of the courtyard .
Today's construction
The new cathedral built around 1800 shows late baroque or classicist styles , which are particularly evident on the apse and the west facade. But also the transept with its cimborri over the crossing and the nave reveal the sense of style of the time, for which the transverse and high oval windows are characteristic.
Furnishing
The cathedral's former altarpiece is now placed in the ambulatory choir; it dates from 1420 to 1428 and is considered a masterpiece of Flemish-Catalan carving. Other parts of the former furnishings are located in the Museu Episcopal de Vic, which is located directly next to the cathedral .
Web links
- Vic Cathedral - Photos + Info (Catalan)
- Vic Cathedral Photos
- Vic Cathedral, altarpiece - photos + quick facts (Catalan)
Individual evidence
Coordinates: 41 ° 55 ′ 41.5 ″ N , 2 ° 15 ′ 20 ″ E