Cathedral in Toledo Spain. Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo (interiors)

The Cathedral of Toledo is one of the most beautiful and lavishly decorated cathedrals in Europe. It is the embodiment of the strength and power of the Catholic faith. A symbol of the victory of good, represented by Christianity, over evil, represented by other religions.

The Cathedral of St. Mary was built at the turn of the 5th-6th centuries, based on this, as already literate gentlemen, we can determine that the style of this building is Gothic. In addition to the obvious historical and geographical facts indicating that a building belongs to one style or another, of course, there are always external differences. And so that later we can identify the belonging of an architectural masterpiece to a particular style, direction, and, therefore, time period, without prompting from a guide, we will consider a number of features.

So, one of the main signs that this building is Gothic is its special type of structure. The basilica is a rectangular building divided by naves. The naves, in turn, are formations of columns or pillars that separate the central space of the building, called the naos, from the side parts. Also, often in Gothic basilicas, the vault was strengthened with ribs, such cruciform supports that look like ribs and are quite easy to figure out.

Thanks to all these elements, the weight of the building was distributed more or less evenly, which made it possible not to strengthen the central part with additional foundations, creating the effect of a floating vault and lengthening the overall silhouette of the building.

Gothic is, first of all, a desire to go upward, therefore all elements of the facade, in every possible way, strive to visually lengthen the building. Also, of course, a feature that should attract your attention is the abundant decoration with stucco and sculptural formations - the portal, and in Russian, the central entrance.

Often, Gothic European cathedrals are not distinguished by splendor and richness; their formal superiority is in the laconicism of their forms. But due to the fact that this building is located in Spain, we can identify a distinctive feature of southern architecture. The influence of the mixing of different cultures is noticeable, especially manifested in the abundance of gold jewelry. Also, unlike its more northern counterparts, the cathedral of Toledo cannot boast of luxurious stained glass windows, and its shape is not entirely classical. Which, in fact, sets him apart from other representatives of this European movement.

For synods, see Toledo Cathedrals. Cathedral of St. Mary (Spanish: Catedral Primada Santa María de Toledo) is a Catholic cathedral in Toledo, the see of the primate of Spain, the main cathedral of the country. An architectural monument, a typical example of Spanish Gothic. The Cathedral of Saint Mary is part of the historical center of Toledo, included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1986. Outside of services, the cathedral operates as a museum. The cathedral was built in the Gothic style on the site of a Visigothic church built in the 5th-6th centuries, and after the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula by the Moors, it was converted into a mosque. After the reconquest of Toledo by Christians in the 13th-15th centuries, the construction of a modern cathedral building began; it is still one of the largest in Spain: the length of the cathedral is 120 m, width - 60 m, height - 44 m. The cathedral houses many masterpieces - from paintings El Greco, Caravaggio, Titian and other famous artists to outstanding examples of medieval jewelry.

According to tradition, on the site of the modern Toledo temple there was a Christian church, dating back to the first Bishop of Toledo, Eugene, about whom no historical information has been preserved. It is reliably known that this church already existed in 587, when it was reconsecrated after the transition of the Visigothic king Reccared I from Arianism to Nicene Christianity. An inscription from the 16th century, preserved in the cloister of the cathedral, is dedicated to this event. From this point on, Toledo became the center of the episcopal see and the religious center of the Visigothic kingdom. Services in the Cathedral of Toledo were held according to the Mozarabic rite, the main liturgical rite of Visigothic Spain. 18 church councils held here, which went down in history as the Toledo Cathedrals, confirmed the religious significance of the city. After the Muslim conquest of the city in 711, the Toledo Cathedral was turned into a mosque, but the Arab invasion did not immediately destroy the Christian hierarchy; the chair of the Bishop of Toledo was moved to the church of Santa Maria de Alfisen (not preserved). Toledo was conquered from the Moors by Alfonso VI, King of Leon and Castile, in 1085. One of the conditions of surrender was the king's promise not to persecute the Muslims of the city and to retain their religious buildings for them. Naturally, this promise extended to the former St. Mary's Cathedral, the city's largest mosque. After the reconquest of Toledo by Christians, the episcopal see was restored in the city; Bernard de Sediracrues became the first bishop of Toledo. Pope Urban II recognized the restored see as the see of the primate of Spain. In 1087, the promise to retain the building of the former cathedral for Muslims was broken, the mosque was re-consecrated as a Christian temple, with minimal changes in architecture. Until the 13th century, the building of the cathedral-former mosque remained untouched. After the Christian victory at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, which was key to the Reconquista, King Alfonso VIII decided to build a grand new cathedral building in Toledo. However, only after his death, under the king...

L Architect Petrus Petri[d]

The cathedral houses many masterpieces - from paintings by El Greco, Caravaggio, Titian and other famous artists to outstanding examples of medieval jewelry.

Story

According to tradition, on the site of the modern Toledo temple there was a Christian church, dating back to the first Bishop of Toledo, Eugene, about whom no historical information has been preserved. It is reliably known that this church already existed in 587, when it was reconsecrated after the transition of the Visigothic king Reccared I from Arianism to Nicene Christianity. An inscription from the 16th century, preserved in the cloister of the cathedral, is dedicated to this event.

From this point on, Toledo became the center of the episcopal see and the religious center of the Visigothic kingdom. Services at Toledo Cathedral followed the Mozarabic rite, the main liturgical rite of Visigothic Spain. 18 church councils held here, which went down in history as the Councils of Toledo, confirmed the religious significance of the city.

The cathedral was built in the Gothic style with obvious French influence. Its first architect was Martin, of French origin. The cathedral has 5 naves, formed by 88 columns and 72 vaults. In the 14th century, under Archbishop Pedro Tenorio, the architect Rodrigo Alfonso added a cloister and chapel of St. Blaise (San Blas) to the northern wall of the cathedral, where Archbishop Tenorio was buried. In the 15th century, Alvar Martinez completed work on the western façade and tower.

Construction of the cathedral was completed in 1493 under Archbishop Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza, nicknamed the “great cardinal”. Further changes to the cathedral concerned only the interior - in the 16th century the cathedral was decorated with a number of outstanding works of art. Under Cardinal Francisco Jimenez de Cisneros, who was a supporter of the revival of the Mozarabic rite of worship, the Mozarabic chapel was created. Cardinal Jimenez de Cisneros also initiated the creation of the magnificent retablo of the main chapel. In addition, in the 16th century, under the successors of Jimenez de Cisneros as archbishop, the Chapel of the New Kings, the upper part of the choirs and their openwork grilles, the treasury and the sacristy were created.

Architecture

Portals and facades

The "Puerta del Reloj" (Gate of the Clock) is located in the north wall of the cathedral. They got their name from the clock mechanism above the entrance arch. The second name for the gate is fair, since it is located at the end of the street where fairs were held in the old days. The clock gate is the oldest portal of the cathedral; it was created at the beginning of the 15th century. The tympanum of the portal is richly painted with carvings; it is divided into four parts, which depict scenes from the earthly life of Christ. Now through this gate visitors can enter the cathedral for free, where from a small platform they can see a general view of the interior.

"Puerta de los Leones" (Gate of the Lions) is the southern entrance to the cathedral. The Lions Gate is the newest of the large portals of the cathedral; they were created in 1460-1466. Named after the lions crowning the columns in front of the entrance. Currently, this is the main entrance to the cathedral, through which tourists with tickets and believers enter the cathedral during services.

In addition to the main portals, the cathedral has three more small ones. "Puerta Llana" (Flat Gate) is so named because it is the only portal whose entrance is located at ground level and has no steps. Two more portals - Santa Catalina and Introductions - lead not to the cathedral, but to the cloister adjacent to the cathedral from the north.

Main Chapel

The Main Chapel (Capilla Mayor) of the cathedral, located in its central part closer to the altar, owes its modern appearance to Cardinal Jimenez de Cisneros. Until the 16th century, the site consisted of two parts with separate vaults, the polyhedral vault being located above the Chapel of the Old Kings (capilla de los Reyes Viejos). Because of this chapel, the presbytery of the cathedral was quite narrow, which looked unnatural for a cathedral of this size. Cardinal Cisneros defended before the chapter of the cathedral his plan for the demolition of the Chapel of the Old Kings and the expansion of the Main Chapel and the presbytery. For the rebuilt Main Chapel, Cisneros commissioned a Gothic retablo, which became one of the pearls of the cathedral.

The late Gothic retablo of the chapel is made of gilded wood and was one of the last examples of this style in Castile. It took six years to create, from 1498 to 1504. A number of craftsmen worked on the creation of the retablo: the general supervision was carried out by Enrique Egas es and Pedro de Gumiel es. Among other masters who worked on the creation of the retablo are Felipe Bigarni es, Juan de Borgoña es, Kopin Dutch es, Sebastian de Almonacid es and others. The retablo is divided into seven vertical parts, the wide central one is located above the tabernacle, 4 parts on the left and right contain sculptures on Gospel subjects, in two more narrower ones, on the sides of the retablo there are statues of saints. The tabernacle, like the retablo itself, is made of gilded wood.

The side walls of the Main Chapel to the right and left of the retablo are richly decorated with carvings. According to a number of authors, the carved figures of the main chapel are among the main attractions of the cathedral. Another important object from an artistic point of view in the Main Chapel is the tomb of Cardinal Pedro Mendoza, located on the left side of the chapel and consisting of a sarcophagus and carved figures around it. Its author is unknown, but the tomb is considered one of the earliest examples of the Spanish Renaissance. In addition to Cardinal Mendoza, the kings Alfonso VII Emperor, Sancho III and Sancho IV are buried in the Main Chapel.

Under the main altar of the chapel there is a small crypt with a chapel. The entrance to the Main Chapel is closed by an openwork grille by Francisco de Villalpando.

Choirs

Sacristy

Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament

Located next to the sacristy to the left of the Puerta del Reloj entrance. The second name of the chapel is Nuestra Señora de la Antigua (Virgin Mary of Ancient). The altar of the chapel is crowned with a wooden carved statue of the Virgin Mary, created in the 12th century. The statue stands on a gilded throne (XVII century). The image is widely revered in Toledo.

Chapel of the New Kings

The Chapel of the New Kings, so named to distinguish it from the Chapel of the Old Kings, which was located on the site of the modern Main Chapel, was built between 1531 and 1534 as a tomb for the kings of the Trastámara dynasty. In the chapel, on the right side is the sarcophagus of Enrique II and his wife, on the left side is that of Enrique III, and next to the presbytery is the sarcophagus of Juan I and his wife Eleanor of Aragon. The main altar of the chapel is decorated with a painting by Maella es. The chapel also contains two organs, built in 1654 and 1721.

Chapel Santiago

The Chapel of Santiago (St. James) is located in the northeastern part of the altar space between the chapels of the New Kings and San Ildefonso. The chapel was built between 1435 and 1440 at the expense of the powerful constable Alvaro de Luna, who planned to turn the chapel into a family tomb. The chapel is made in the Gothic style, covered with a star vault. In the center of the chapel are the richly carved marble sarcophagi of Alvaro de Luna and his wife; on the sides of the chapel there are several more burials, mostly of relatives of Alvaro de Luna. The retablo of the chapel is made of gilded wood and consists of picturesque images of saints and a wooden statue of Christ in the central part.

Chapel of San Ildefonso

The chapel is located in the east of the zaatar space on the main axis of the cathedral. Saint Ildefonso is especially revered in Toledo and a chapel dedicated to him has been on this site since the foundation of the cathedral in the 13th century. Its current octagonal shape was formed after the elimination of two small side chapels. It is covered with a ribbed Gothic vault. The chapel was built at the end of the 14th century by order of the archbishop and cardinal Gil Alvarez de Albornoz, as a resting place for him and his family. In the central part of the chapel there is a carved marble sarcophagus of the founder, on the sides of the chapel there are several more burials. The marble retablo of the chapel was created in the 18th century and depicts the popular Toledo scene of the Mother of God presenting Her robe to Saint Ildefonso.

Chapter Hall

The chapter hall is located at the south-eastern end of the cathedral, south of the Chapel of San Ildefonso. It was built on the initiative of Cardinal Jimenez de Cisneros to replace the old one, on the site of which the cardinal organized the Mozarabic Chapel. It consists of 4 rooms, in addition to the main hall, it includes two side rooms and an entrance room. The entrance room is decorated in a style combining Gothic and Mudejar. Luxuriously decorated doors (1510) lead into the main hall.

The interior of the main chapter hall is made of polychrome and gilded wood. All the walls of the rectangular room are filled with paintings, among which a series of portraits of all the Toledo archbishops stands out.

Chapel Transparente

The chapel is located at the rear of the Main Chapel on the main axis of the cathedral. The chapel is considered a masterpiece of the Spanish Baroque. It was created in 1729-1732 by the famous Spanish Baroque master Narciso Tome es. The altar of the chapel is surrounded by marble sculptures and bronze decorations. In the center is a sculpture of the Virgin Mary and Child.

A unique feature of the chapel is the way it is illuminated, from which it gets its name, "Transparente" (transparent). Opposite the chapel, there is a round window in the vault, and its location is chosen in such a way that a ray of light from the window falls in the center of the chapel onto its tabernacle. The space around the window itself is also richly decorated with statues and frescoes on biblical themes.

Immediately after its creation, the chapel evoked conflicting responses, while some admired it as a masterpiece, others sharply criticized the author for the inappropriateness and alienness of a Baroque, luxuriously decorated chapel in a strict Gothic environment.

Mozarabic Chapel

The Chapel of Corpus Christi is located in the southwest corner of the cathedral. It is widely known as the Mozarabic Chapel, since it is intended for worship according to the Mozarabic (Visigothic, Spanish) rite. This rite was gradually replaced by the standard Roman rite for the Catholic Church in the period after the Reconquista. Its revival is associated with the name of Cardinal Jimenez de Cisneros, on whose behalf a revision of the surviving Mozarabic liturgical books was carried out. Following this, Jimenez obtained permission from Pope Julius II to use the Mozarabic rite in Toledo, Mozarabic services have been performed from that time to this day in the Chapel of Corpus Christi. The Mozarabic Chapel of the Toledo Cathedral is the only place in the world where services of this rite are performed daily.

Until the 16th century, on the site of the chapel there was an old chapter hall, from which only the vault was left when it was rebuilt into the Mozarab chapel. The entrance to the chapel is blocked by a grating (1524), crowned with the coat of arms of Cardinal Jimenez de Cisneros. In plan, the chapel is a rectangular volume covered with an octagonal dome; the painting of the dome dates back to the 17th century. The frescoes on the walls of the chapel (1509-1514) depict scenes of the capture of Oran by Cardinal de Cisneros. The altar of the chapel is made of bronze and marble, in its center there is a mosaic image of the Virgin Mary and Child (18th century).

Treasury

It is located in the northwestern part of the cathedral, mirroring the Mozarabic chapel and exactly under the main tower of the cathedral. In this place, Cardinal Juan Pardo de Tavera planned to organize a chapel - a family tomb, but later a treasury was organized here.

Currently there is an exhibition of ancient liturgical utensils and art objects. Of course, the main masterpiece of the exhibition is the giant monstrance, created in the 16th century by the jeweler Enrique de Arfe. It is 2.5 meters high, consists of 5,600 individual parts held together by 12,500 screws, and is decorated with 250 statues made of gilded silver and enamel. The monstrance is crowned with a cross with diamonds

In contact with

The Cathedral of St. Mary is one of the main churches in Spain, the Catholic Cathedral in Toledo, the seat of the local archbishop.

A characteristic example of Spanish Gothic, dating back to the Cathedral of Burgos.

Location

The cathedral overlooks the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, also known as the Plaza de la Villa. In addition to the cathedral, the square contains the town hall and the archbishop's palace.

Tradition

According to legend, the cathedral was built on the site of the appearance of the Virgin Mary to Saint Ildefonso (who later became the patron saint of the city), where there was an ancient temple from the era of the first archbishop Saint Eugenio (Santo Eugenio).

Museum

The cathedral museum is located in the sacristy. Among the masterpieces that can be found here are “The Arrest of Christ on the Mount of Olives” by Goya, “The Twelve Apostles and the Descent of Christ” by El Greco, works by Titian, Velazquez, Morales, Van Dyck, Raphael, Rubens. There is also a statue of the “White Madonna” from the 14th century.

When visiting the cathedral, it is better to linger a little in the eastern part of the temple, behind the back wall of the altar.

Here for better illumination in the period 1720-1730. an oval window was punched in the ceiling through the efforts of the sculptor Narcisco Tome.

The sculptor designed this place as another altar - now it is called Transparent - “transparent”.

Tome's imagination created a truly grandiose work, filled with light, figures of apostles and cherubs, and bright frescoes.

This place represents a sharp contrast with the rest of the cathedral, made with all Gothic severity.