Palma Cathedral: history of construction, interesting facts

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

The stylish and elegant capital of Mallorca, whose history is reflected in all the variety of architectural monuments, is incredibly popular with tourists. Fashionable Palma de Mallorca is full of ancient sights, the amazing beauty of which will make visitors freeze with delight.

The main religious building of the city is the cathedral, erected on the Mediterranean coast. Majestic La Seu (as it is popularly known) rises above the ancient city, making a lasting impression on tourists.

Construction history

The work on the construction of the building in the Gothic style dragged on for four hundred years. Locals tell all tourists the story of how King Jaime I, who went to conquer the Muslim island, was overtaken by a terrible storm. Saying goodbye to life, the great warrior turned to the Virgin Mary for help. Kingprayed earnestly and begged for his life. He swore that he would build a temple on the island in honor of the savior in case of a successful outcome.

The storm subsided, and a few months later the king celebrated his victory over the Moors. In 1230, the construction of the promised structure began.

Long work on the design of the temple

The Cathedral of Palma, dominating the general panorama of the bay, opened its doors in 1601, although work on the design of the temple was carried out for many more years, until the beginning of the 20th century. In the decoration of the temple, the architectural style of which is attributed to the Spanish Gothic, you can find the influence of other European traditions.

This is especially true of the main facade. In 1851, it was badly damaged after a strong earthquake. The workers not only restored the wall, but added an arch on each side of the façade and erected neoclassical pointed turrets.

Gaudi's work

Palma Cathedral was restored several times after the collapse of the vaults. In 1904, the well-known Antonio Gaudi, invited at the request of the bishops, worked on the appearance of La Seu. The Spanish architect, whose work was often criticized, brought electricity to the Gothic structure. The dismantling of the original corridor, decorated with chandeliers and candles on the walls, caused public outrage.

Gaudi created long windows with openings and added beautiful stained-glass windows. Ten years later, the work was completed.

Kingdom of light

Palma Cathedral, made of limestonesandstone, surprises with its huge size. The temple, which accommodates about 18 thousand believers, also serves as a royal tomb: the remains of two rulers of the island are buried here.

Once inside the building, you can understand why the locals call it the "temple of light." The sun's rays passing through the colored stained-glass windows illuminate the spacious halls, decorated with highlights of various shades. In the true realm of light, everything is aimed at creating a special, peaceful atmosphere that gives parishioners inner strength and transforms the spiritual world.

Rosette windows

Palma Cathedral delights with high openwork windows that seem to look at each other. Made in the form of roses, they are inlaid with colored glass. These are the world's largest Gothic windows with a diameter of 12 meters.

A rose without thorns has a great mystical meaning, so one window, made in the form of this flower, is located above the main entrance and symbolizes the image of the Mother of God, and the second, denoting Jesus Christ, is located above the altar.

A delightful sight

A curious spectacle takes place in the cathedral twice a year - November 11 (St. Martin's Day) and March 2 (Candlemas). The sunbeam, passing through the socket in the altar part, creates for a short time an unusual projection under the main entrance window. Before the eyes of the astonished guests, a figure eight shimmering in different colors appears - a symbol of eternity.

During these two days, the Cathedral of Santa Maria is extremely filled with people who came to admire the amazing picture,which makes you think about the greatness of man. You never cease to be amazed at the knowledge of the exact sciences of the ancient masters who created this work of art, and yet the windows were made in 1320 and glazed almost three hundred years later.

Modern panel

In 2001, the authorities of the city of Palma de Mallorca invited the famous artist M. Barcelo, considered a real genius, to work on the right chapel. For six years, the master created a large-scale clay panel telling how Jesus fed five thousand people with seafood and bread, and the central part of the work is dedicated to the Resurrection of the Son of God.

Symbol of spiritual heritage

Tourists from all over the world annually come to the stone masterpiece towering over the city walls, which is a symbol of spiritual heritage. Faithful people, admiring the wonderful work of art, attend services, which are accompanied by the sounds of a giant organ reflecting from the walls and ceiling. Music that affects the emotional state and the general atmosphere of the ancient temple will remain in memory for many years.