Cathedral Santo Domingo de la Calzada
As I start this article, we are going to begin talking about the context of the cathedral. That is to say, discovering its location and speaking a little about its history.
The history of the city of Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Well, the city of Santo Domingo de la Calzada is tied to the Camino de Santiago de Compostela (the pilgrimage trail). Its founder wanted to join the monasteries on the outskirts of the city, in Valvanera and San Millán, but he didn't have any luck and was rejected by both. He gave up and realised that the pilgrims walking along the Camino de Santiago would pass by this area extremely tired. So, he decided to study the area and find an alternative as a way of solving the problem that the pilgrims faced. He worked hard to make this part of the journey easier for them and came up with the construction of a small bridge that allowed the pilgrims to cross the Oja River without having to go all the way around it. In turn, apart from the bridge, he also built a refuge for them, a pathway that joined Nájera with Redecilla del Camino, and a small church as well.
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The history of the cathedral
When and how did the construction start? What design did the cathedral have?
The building work began in 1158. Its design was based on a pilgrimage church: a Latin cross floor plan with three naves in which three semicircular chapels or apse chapels were opened, and in addition to this, there was a platform. The choir also stood out as a great piece of art.
Have they conserved the initial structure of the cathedral?
The reality is that you can observe the various reforms the cathedral has suffered from over the centuries by looking at it from the outside. They conserved some parts from the initial project from the top of the cathedral to the transept, but it is true that many other parts have been reformed. This is the case of the chapel of San Andrés, northern and southern apse chapels, and chapels such as San Bartolomé and Santiago.
At the top you can appreciate the reliefs of the spires and pillars surrounding the high altar. Doing a quick round, we can see a Christ the Saviour, and the Assumption of the Virgin. Both headline the Cathedral.
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Parts of the cathedral
I will tell you quickly about the tour of the cathedral and what you can find there, inside all of its different corners.
The altarpiece
In 1994, the altarpiece had to be dismantled in order to undergo a special reform. Before this, according to what the locals have said, the altarpiece could be found in the larger chapel. They used walnut wood for the constructions of the sculptures, and pine for the relieves. It is dedicated to the main Saints of the cathedral, that is to say, Christ Saviour and the Assumption of the Virgin. It is characterised especially by the incorporation of a mythological element that has centaurs, sirens, Tritons and meanads, as well as the common and typical figures and representation of Biblical Christian scenes. All of the mythological elements are related to the salvation of the soul.
The truth is that time passes you by uncontrollably when looking at the altarpiece and observing all of its numerous details which are specially cared for.
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The Mausoleum of Saints and the hen-house
According to what is known, or what is told, it was the actual founder and builder of the church, the one who built this section, who prepared the tomb in the road. The tombstone sits on an alabaster table, on which a specific date and century can be seen.
Twelve scenes can be appreciated, in which different miracles appear and anecdotal stories of the Saint. Below various arches, we can see the life-size image of Santo Domingo. Truly impressive. Furthermore, it can be found surrounded by a marble plinth, I think, on top of which there is an iron grille. In this same place, but in the subterranean area that you can't go inside to see, they have built a room where they protect all of the relics related to the Saint.
The hen-house is located just in front of the museum, It is in a Gothic architectural style from the 15th century, made of rock and you can see the figure of a hen and a rooster on the outside. Furthermore, you can see that same pair of live animals, inside bars, as a motive for commemoration of the miracle of the pilgrim unjustly hanged that tells the legend of the rooster and the hen.
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The tower
From another perspective, looking to the exterior of the cathedral, we can see the cathedral tower better. They haven't actually conserved the original one, as it was located where the hen-house is today.
The cathedral tower has been reconstructed various times. The first time it was struck by a lightning bolt that hit directly against it, reducing it to pieces. The second time, it had to be destroyed due to its ageing. The third time, which seems more consistent, was because it had to be demolished. During the construction of the fourth tower, they found that they had to change the location of the tower in order to fix it's problem with the instability of the ground. They constructed it various metres away from where the previous, unstable ones were.
This fourth tower is 70 metres high.
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The cloister and the chapter hall
The cloister was built using rock and brick and was covered, in turn, with cross vaults. We can actually find the cathedral's own exhibition in here.
We can highlight various Flemish pieces of art called triptychs that were painted with oil paints on boards:
- Assumption Triptych.
- Worship of the Wise Men Triptych.
- San Gregorio Mass Triptych.
We can also highlight, in another area and in terms of sculpture, the altarpiece of the Apostles and the two Roman rock relieves. Between the cloister and the chapter hall, we can find the "treasure" of the cathedral. This cathedral also has many Mexican pieces that have been donated here to be in their exhibition.
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Prices
To enter and to be able to visit the Santo Domingo de la Calzada Cathedral, you need to buy a ticket which will cost you around 4 euros. This money will go towards the maintenance of the cathedral, that is to say, this price is like a donation that they claim from you when you enter.
You can't or shouldn't take photos with flash as it can damage the figures, and you shouldn't touch the images either.
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