Cathedral of Sevilla

The Holy, Metropolitan and Patriarchal Cathedral Church of Santa María de la Sede y de la Asunción in Seville; better known as the Sevilla Cathedral, it is a Gothic-style Catholic temple. Unesco declared it in 1987, along with the Real Alcázar and the Archivo de Indias, a World Heritage Site and, on July 25, 2010, an Asset of Exceptional Universal Value. In 1988, the Guinness Book of Records certified that it was the largest cathedral in the world.

According to tradition, construction began in 1401, although there is no documentary evidence of the start of work until 1433. The construction was carried out on the site that remained after the demolition of the old Aljama mosque in Seville, whose minaret (La Giralda) and courtyard (Patio de los Naranjos) are still preserved.

One of the first master builders was Master Carlin (Charles Galter), from Normandy (France), who had previously worked on other major European Gothic cathedrals and arrived in Spain, it is believed, fleeing the Hundred Years' War Years. On October 10, 1506, the last stone was placed in the highest part of the dome, symbolically completing the cathedral, although in reality work continued uninterruptedly throughout the centuries, both for the interior decoration, such as to add new dependencies or consolidate and restore the damage caused by the passage of time, or extraordinary circumstances, among which it is worth highlighting the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, which produced only minor damage despite its intensity. These works were carried out by the architects Diego de Riaño, Martín de Gainza and Asensio de Maeda. Also at this stage Hernán Ruiz built the last body of the Giralda. The cathedral and its dependencies were completed in 1593.

The Metropolitan Council maintains the daily liturgy and the celebration of the festivities of Corpus Christi, the Immaculate Conception and the Virgen de los Reyes. The festival of the Virgen de los Reyes is on August 15 and coincides with that of the Assumption.

The temple houses the mortal remains of Christopher Columbus and several kings of Castile: Pedro I the Cruel, Fernando III the Saint and his son, Alfonso X the Wise.

One of the last major works carried out took place in 2008 and consisted of replacing 576 ashlars that made up one of the grandiose pillars that support the temple, with new stone blocks with similar characteristics, but with much greater endurance. This difficult work was possible thanks to the use of innovative technological systems that demonstrated that the building suffered daily oscillations of 2 cm as a consequence of the expansion of its materials. In 2017 it received 1 934,373 visitors, making it the fifth most visited monument in Spain.

History

Plano of the Cathedral of Seville

1- Gate of Baptism
2- Gate of the Assumption
3- Puerta de San Miguel
4- Colored or Conception Door
5- Puerta de San Cristobal o del Príncipe
6- Door of Palos
7- Gate of Bells
8- Coro
9- Larger and High
10- Royal Chapel
11- Giralda
12- Lagarto Gate
13- Door of Forgiveness
14- Sacristy of the Highest
15- Major Sacristy
16- Church of the Sagrarian

Star vault, in front of the Major Chapel.

Photo of the Cathedral of Seville taken in 1927.

Almohad period (1172-1248)

During the Muslim administration, the Almohad caliph Abu Yacub Jusuf ordered the construction of a large mosque in Seville on the land currently occupied by the cathedral. The works lasted between April 1172 and March 1198, although it was inaugurated on April 30, 1182.

The direction of the works was entrusted to the prestigious architect of Andalusian origin Ahmad Ben Baso, the same one who built the Buhayra palaces in Seville, who built a beautiful rectangular 113 x 135 m and with an area of more than 15,000 m². It had 17 naves adorned with horseshoe arches and a large patio, the sahn that is still preserved under the name of Patio de los Naranjos. The current Puerta del Perdón gave access to the enclosure.

Mudejar period (1248-1401)

After the conquest of the city by the Christians on November 23, 1248, the main mosque was consecrated with the dedication of Santa María de la Asunción. It has also been officially called the Cathedral of Santa María de la Sede, dedication of a seated Virgin from the 13th century that houses this temple. It became the cathedral of the archdiocese with small changes, such as a Royal Chapel where different monarchs and relatives were buried, including Alfonso X, Fernando III and Beatriz de Suabia.

Christians used the Muslim building for more than 150 years. Starting in 1401, a new temple with completely Christian forms was considered, so, under the pretext that the mosque was in a dilapidated state, it was demolished.

Gothic (1401-1528)

Historical view of the western facade of the cathedral in 1738. Recorded by Pedro Tortolero.

In 1888 there was a collapse of one of the vaults caused by the breakage of a pillar.

The cathedral chapter decided on July 8, 1401 to build a new temple, since the old Almohad mosque was poorly preserved after the earthquake that occurred in 1356 that seriously affected it. According to Sevillian oral tradition, the decision of the canons would have been: "Let's make a church so beautiful and so grandiose that those who see it carved will consider us crazy" and according to the capitular act of that day the new work had to be "such and so good that there is no other like it."

The works began in 1434, and lasted in this phase until 1506. It is believed that the primitive project of the work was due to the master Alonso Martínez. Subsequently, Ysambarte was the master builder and in 1439 the French Carlín (Charles Gauter de Rúan) who took charge of the works with a salary of one thousand maravedís per year, believing that he was in charge of them until his death around 1448, his successor was the stonemason Juan Normant. Between 1498 and 1512, Alonso Rodríguez held the position of senior master. All the senior masters and surveyors who directed the work formed a chain in which each one collaborated for several years with the previous master before becoming director, including Ysambarte and Carlin knew each other previously.

Ships inside.

On October 6, 1506, the official ceremony to celebrate the completion of the work took place, in which the "last stone" in the highest part of the dome. Archbishop Diego de Deza was invited to participate in the act, although he apologized for being too old to go up and witnessed it as a spectator from the chapel of the Virgen de la Antigua. Celebrations could not be held because King Felipe I of Castile (Felipe el Hermoso) had died two weeks before. The following year, 1507, the consecration of the temple took place, although some works remained to be completed. The final result was a grandiose Gothic temple of enormous dimensions and rigorous design.

Four years later, on December 28, 1511, one of the enormous pillars failed and there was a collapse that affected the dome that covered the transept, all apparently caused by the excessive weight of the structure. Alonso Rodríguez was dismissed and, after a careful study of the possible solutions, the architect Juan Gil de Hontañón, following the initial stylistic framework, designed a new dome that was completed in 1519. This dome collapsed 370 years later, on August 1, 1888, being rebuilt by the architect Joaquín Fernández with the same shape, as it is seen today.

Renaissance (1528-1593)

Cúpula de la Sacristía Mayor de la Catedral de Sevilla.

Corresponds to the period that began in 1528, when a series of annexes to the Gothic temple were built, such as the main Sacristy, the Chapter House and the Royal Chapel, and others such as the Sacristy of the Chalices and the Chapels of the Alabasters. The architects Diego de Riaño, Martín de Gainza and Asensio de Maeda intervened in these works. Also at this stage Hernán Ruiz built the last body of the Giralda. The cathedral and its dependencies were completed in 1593.

Baroque (1618-1758)

In this phase the church of El Sagrario (1618-1663) was built by Miguel de Zumárraga; It is actually an independent church from the cathedral, although it is attached to it and communicates with it. This building was accompanied in the same style by a series of small additions on the West front.

Academic (1758-1823)

During this phase, the neoclassical style predominated. Various rooms were built in the southwest area of the temple, between the current Constitution Avenue and the Archivo de Indias. Between 1762 and 1797, the buildings that linked the monument to the city's hamlet were demolished, in order to make the block it occupies completely independent. The main architects involved in the works were Manuel Núñez and Fernando de Rosales.

Neo-Gothic (1825-1928)

This period covers from 1825 to 1928. During it, parts of the building that had remained unfinished were finished, trying at all times to stay as close as possible to the original Gothic design. Continuing the project of the architect Demetrio de los Ríos in 1866, the gates of La Concepción and San Cristóbal or Príncipe, were finished by Adolfo Fernández Casanova between 1895 and 1917. Different restoration works were also carried out. Fernando de Rosales started this stage and Javier de Luque closed it.

The cathedral in the 21st century

In 2008, the researcher from the University of Cantabria Begoña Alonso Ruiz found the oldest known plan of the Seville Cathedral in the Monastery of Bidaurreta de Oñate (Guipúzcoa), which was made around 1490. This The plan, once studied, has provided important data on the construction of the building.

In 2017 it received 1,934,373 visits, record numbers, with progressive annual increases since 2012, when 1 325 749 tickets. More than 99% of tourists who visit Seville are interested in seeing the temple. The monument is self-financing and represents a considerable source of income for the Cabildo that allocates a large part of the funds raised went to restoration works. The location of the building on Avenida de la Constitución, the main access road to the historic center of the city, had caused a notable physicochemical deterioration of the stone in recent decades, which manifested due to the existence of dense black scabs on the walls and doorways, as a consequence of the intense contamination of the environment produced by the gases expelled by the vehicles.

The important actions carried out in the XXI century have consisted of the pedestrianization of Avenida de la Constitución to solve the problem of contamination and carrying out various restoration works, mainly the cleaning and consolidation of the 141 m west façade, with the aim of solving the general sandblasting of the stone and the oxidation of the iron materials. In addition, singular elements such as sculptures, pinnacles, gargoyles, flamingos and stained glass windows have been dismantled and repaired and have received specialized treatments for their recovery. Inside the temple, very precise work has been carried out to solve the deterioration in the structure of two pillars that presented cracks that were detected in 1980. The meticulous task has consisted of replacing 576 ashlars, each of which has a average weight of 250 kg, without intervening in the central core of the pillar that maintained its stability. In 2011, the restoration of the main altarpiece began, work that lasted 30 months, and important interventions on the flooring of the Royal Chapel and the north façade of the temple that overlooks Alemanes street, an action that culminated in January 2015 with the restoration of the Puerta del Perdón.

Materials used

In the construction, as was usual in Gothic architecture, stone was used as the main construction material. The cathedral is built with stone from more than 20 quarries, the majority being coarse-grained fossiliferous calcarenite from the quarries of the Sierra de San Cristóbal in Puerto de Santa María, in the province of Cádiz. Next in order of importance is a finer-grained fossiliferous limestone rock from Espera, also in the province of Cádiz, used above all in the elements interspersed with the previous stone in the crests and as the main construction element in the Archives that are They were added to the south façade of the cathedral in 1918. Rocks were also brought from Puerto Real, Estepa, Utrera, Morón de la Frontera and other places for plinths, tracery, restorations, etc. The covers of the Conception and the Prince were made at the end of the XIX century and beginning of the XX with stone from Monóvar, in the province of Alicante.

Giralda

The Giralda of Seville Cathedral.

La Giralda is the tower and bell tower of Seville Cathedral. It stands out for its height of 104 m, which makes it visible from a large part of the city. Its square base is located 7.12 m above sea level, having a side of 13.61 m. It was built in the likeness of the minaret of the Koutoubia mosque in Marrakech (Morocco), although the upper crown and beautiful bell tower that raises and stylizes its structure, is Renaissance.

The works began in the year 1184 under the direction of the architect Ahmad Ben Baso. The tower had a height of 82 m. According to the chronicler Ibn Sahib al-Salá, the works were completed on March 10, 1198, with the placement of four gilt bronze balls on the top of the tower.

Following an earthquake in 1365, the old original copper sphere that crowned it was lost. In the XVI century, the body of bells was added by the architect Hernán Ruiz, who was also commissioned by the cathedral chapter, so that the new body would have a finish in the form of a statue that represents Faith. The statue was installed in 1568. The word giralda comes from "turn" and means "tower vane that has a human or animal figure". Over time, that name came to refer to the tower as a whole, beginning to meet the figure that crowns her as "el Giraldillo".

Patio de los Naranjos

The Patio de los Naranjos was originally the ablutions patio of the Almohad mosque. Its shape is rectangular, measuring 43 m by 81 m. The smaller sides were originally made up of seven twin arches and the larger ones had thirteen arches, forming two sets of six with a large central arch. From the street, its interior is accessed through the Puerta del Perdón, which is decorated with Renaissance plasterwork made by Bartolomé López in 1522. The door leaves are made of wood covered in bronze and are decorated with lacework, the two chiseled cast bronze knockers stand out. It is an important Almohad work from the 12th century century. In the center of the patio stands a fountain whose upper cup is Visigothic.

The construction works were carried out between 1172 and 1186. Initially it was used for the typical activities of the Muslim ablution courtyards (sahn). After the conquest of Seville by the Christians in 1248, it was used for various activities: cemetery, celebration of the annual fairs of the city and place of preaching. Currently, the Patio de los Naranjos is one of the most important annexes of the Seville Cathedral and is fully integrated into it. Over the centuries it has undergone several significant modifications such as that of 1618, when the west wing was demolished to build the Iglesia del Sagrario.:lowercase">XV gradually lost its cultural connotation, being today an area without religious activities.

Sanctuary Church

The Church of the Tabernacle is a temple integrated into the cathedral, construction began by Cristóbal de Rojas, Alonso de Vandelvira and Miguel de Zumárraga in June 1618 in the Baroque style. It is located in the west gallery of the Patio de los Naranjos, has a Latin cross plan and the transept is covered by a vault with a lantern. It consists of four doors: two through the Patio de los Naranjos, one from inside the cathedral and another that leads directly to the outside. Its interior is richly decorated, highlighting the main altarpiece, the structure was made by Francisco Dionisio de Ribas and the carvings by Pedro Roldán.

Exterior of the cathedral

Gargola detail in Seville Cathedral.

It has three portals on the façade at the foot, one on each arm of the transept and two at the head, it also has another door that leads to the courtyard of the orange trees, called the lizard, and another that communicates with the church of the tabernacle and Finally, the Puerta del Perdón, which is the access door to the Patio de los Naranjos from Calle de los Alemanes:

West façade of the feet

Baptism Portal is the one located furthest to the left, it was built in the 15th century, the tympanum is decorated with the representation of the relief of the Baptism of Christ, a work carried out by the workshop of Lorenzo Mercadante from Brittany, it is Gothic in style with pointed archivolts adorned with tracery, there are also sculptures of the bishops of Seville, San Leandro and San Isidoro, of Santa Justa and Rufina, direct works of Lorenzo Mercadante, and a series of angels and prophets due to Pedro Millán.

Main or Assumption Portal is the one located in the center of the façade and remained unrealized until the XIX, when Cardinal Cienfuegos y Jovellanos commissioned its sculptural decoration, among which the figures of the apostles stand out, executed by Ricardo Bellver between 1877 and 1898.

Seville Cathedral by J. Laurent, c. 1866, Department of Image Collections, National Gallery of Art Library, Washington, DC

Portada de San Miguel or del Nacimiento, so called because the representation of the Birth of Christ is included on the portal. It was built in the XV and is decorated with terracotta sculptures, including those of San Laureano, San Hermenegildo and the four evangelists, executed by Lorenzo Merchant of Brittany and his disciple Pedro Millán. It is the route by which the Holy Week processions access the cathedral on their journey through the official race.

South façade

Puerta de San Cristóbal or del Príncipe (1887-1895), is the one that coincides with the south transept, it was designed by Adolfo Fernández Casanova and finished in 1917, although its first design was made by the architect Demetrio de los Ríos in 1866. In front of this door, there is a replica of the "Giraldillo".

North façade

Puerta de la Concepción (1895-1927), is located in the northern part of the transept that opens onto the Patio de los Naranjos, the design was also made by Demetrio de los Ríos and projected and finished by Adolfo Fernández Casanova in 1895, it was built imitating the Gothic style to harmonize with the rest of the building.

Puerta del Lizard, communicates with the covered part of the Patio de los Naranjos, whose gallery also receives the same name because of a lizard hanging from the ceiling as an old ex-voto, it is the most simple decoration.

Puerta del Sagrario, gives access from inside the cathedral to the church of the Sagrario, built by Pedro Sánchez Falconete in the last third of the century XVII. It is framed by some Corinthian columns and in the upper part there is a sculpture representing San Fernando, on one side Santa Justa with San Isidoro and on the other side Santa Rufina with San Leandro.

Puerta del Perdón, this is the name given to the access door to the Patio de los Naranjos from Calle de los Alemanes, it is not really a door to the cathedral, but it was the entrance to the Almohad mosque in the XII century. From that period, a pointed horseshoe arch and the bronze doors have been preserved, decorated with lacework, atauriques and Kufic inscriptions that repeat two verses from the Koran "Power belongs to Allah" and "Eternity belongs to Allah". At the beginning of the XVI century works were carried out, decorating the façade with terracotta sculptures by the sculptor Miguel Perrin, highlighting the large relief of the Expulsion of the Merchants over the entrance arch. The plasterwork ornaments were made by Bartolomé López.

East façade of the header

Puerta de Palos, also called the Door of the Adoration of the Magi, due to the relief with this theme found on its tympanum, modeled by Miguel Perrin around 1520. The name "Palos" is more popular, and is due to the wooden bars that separate it from the old rooms of the cathedral chapter.

Puerta de Campanillas, so named because at the time of its construction it was from where the bells were rung to call the workers. The Renaissance sculptures, as well as the relief on the tympanum representing Christ's Entry into Jerusalem, were made by Miguel Perrin at the beginning of the century XVI.

• 

  Baptism gate.

• 

  Main cover or Assumption.

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  San Miguel Gate.

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  Puerta de San Cristobal or Puerta del Príncipe

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  Conception Gate.

• 

  Door of Palos

• 

  Gate of Bells

• 

  Sorry door.

Interior of the cathedral

View of the central nave of the cathedral.

The cathedral has five naves that are distributed, looking towards the Levant. It does not have a head in the usual Gothic sense in the form of an apse without an ambulatory, since its floor plan is a perfect rectangle measuring 116 m long by 76 m wide, which corresponds to the space occupied by the great Almohad mosque that it was located in the same place. The central nave and the transept are taller than the rest. Chapels located between the buttresses open onto the outer naves and are equal in depth to the transept nave. The walls are thin. However, the chapels are separated by abutments perpendicular to the central axis of the temple, ending in 28 attached pillars that, with another 32 exempt ones, support 68 pointed vaults. These pillars are made of masonry, covered with stone. The ogival vaults are quadripartite in the naves and sixpartite in the chapels, the transept being star-shaped. Natural light penetrates through numerous stained-glass windows.

Central nave

The central nave houses two buildings: the Choir, flanked by large organs; and the Main Chapel surrounded by high bars. Between them is the transept, whose vaults are the highest in the temple and reach 37 m in height at this point. Behind the Choir is the Retrochoir and in line with all of the above, the Royal Chapel.

Standing by the central nave of Seville Cathedral.

Night view of the central nave and the Retablo Mayor.

Main Chapel

Main altarpiece of Seville Cathedral.

The Main Chapel, located in the central nave, is delimited on the sides and on the front by golden iron bars, in the Renaissance style. The altarpiece of this chapel is one of the most outstanding works in the history of art. Its construction began in 1482, and Pedro Dancart, Jorge Fernández, Roque Balduque and Juan Bautista Vázquez el Viejo took part in it, completing it. The sculpture of a crucified man stands out, called del Millón, a Gothic work from the XV century. In this altarpiece is the small image of the Virgin of the See of the XIII century, holder and patron saint of the cathedral.

Jump

Trasaltar.

The walls of the presbytery are externally decorated by a series of sculptures of various saints in round shape and baked clay on shelves and under canopies. The total number of sculptures is 59, which make up a group of undoubted beauty, although they cannot be appreciated due to the height at which they are found. They are Gothic, Renaissance and Mannerist sculptures, the result of a succession of artists who took part in their execution. From 1522 Miguel Perrin appears who remains linked to these works until 1552. In 1564 Juan Marín is named as sculptor. Later, in 1572, Diego de Pesquera was named. The decoration was finally finished in 1575. The Virgin of Rest stands out among all, a beautiful image of the Virgin with the Sleeping Child on her chest attributed to Miguel Perrin, which is located in front of the gate of the Royal Chapel and in the past had great devotion among the Sevillians. The devotion was spread linked to the request of pregnant women to have a good delivery, supported by an old tradition according to which every day a Jew passed through the feet of this image of the Virgin who daily recited an offense against the Virgin for being the origin of Jesus. Despite this, his conversion to Christianity took place, and repentant for the previous blasphemies against the image of the Virgin, he dedicated the rest of his life to spreading devotion to the Virgin of Rest, convinced that it had been the origin of his conversion and consequent Salvation, for this reason it came to be considered protector of the births of the Faith and simultaneously of natural births, for this reason it was popularly known as Our Lady of Bienpariese, protector of good births. Devotion was enhanced by Doña María Osorio, who in 1554 ordered the construction of a chapel or niche to Nuestra Señora del Reposo in the center of the trasaltar. In the lower part of this wall there is a chapel with a burial, dedicated to Nuestra Señora del Soterraño, which currently belongs to the Marquises of Yanduri.

Chorus

It is built with stone walls on three sides, it occupies the space comprised by the fourth and fifth vaults of the central nave and the front is closed with a Renaissance-style grille finished in 1523 by Francisco de Salamanca. The stalls It consists of 127 seats with the backs made of marquetry of various woods to give a special color to its ornamentation, with bas-reliefs of scenes from the Old and New Testaments and with representations of grotesque characters on the arms of the chairs and misericordia where there are also scenes. of games. In the main boards at the entrance to the choir there are ogival elements with the separation made with columns that end in pinnacles. The three seats corresponding to the archbishop and his assistants are the ones that show a great sculptural work. On one of the seats there is an inscription that says: «This choir was made by Nufro Sánchez, a carver, may God bless you. The year of 1478 ended". disciple Juan Alemán. The stalls were finished around 1511.

Trascoro

The retrochoir was made by Miguel de Zumárraga in the Baroque style, he designed it in 1619 and after ten years of work stopped, it was completed in 1635. It was built in valuable and colorful materials, such as marble and jasper. It is adorned with reliefs and bronze busts presided over by a Gothic painting of the Virgen de los Remedios of clear Italian influence.

Coro.

Trascoro.

Organ

Organ inside Seville Cathedral.

Talla de La Inmaculada by Martínez Montañes known as The Cieguecita.

Silver urn of Fernando III the Holy in the Royal Chapel.

The current organ was built by Aquilino Amezua in 1901 and restored by Gerhard Grenzing in 1996. It replaced an older one by Jordi Bosch i Bernat that was destroyed in the collapse of 1888 and was considered one of the best organs that had been built in Spain.

The furniture that houses it dates from 1724, it is the work of Luis de Vílches who designed the box and Duque Cornejo who was in charge of the sculptural decoration. In reality, they are two facing twin instruments that form a great ensemble. It is played with both simultaneously from the same keyboard. It has four manual keyboards, one pedal keyboard and around 15,000 tubes.

Chapels of Alabasters

They are named for the material they are made of. There are four small chapels located on the side walls of the choir. They were carried out from 1515, the master Juan Gil de Hontañón intervened in their construction and from 1530 the architect Diego de Riaño who redesigned the interior of the same, replacing the Gothic style in which they were projected by the Renaissance. independently. These are the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, the Chapel of the Incarnation, the Chapel of the Virgen de la Estrella and the Chapel of San Gregorio.

• Immaculate Chapel

On February 14, 1628, Jerónima Zamudio, widow of the jury Francisco Gutiérrez de Molina, entrusted the sculptor Martínez Montañés with an altarpiece with an image of the Immaculate Conception to be placed in this funerary chapel. After some delays in the execution and the consequent lawsuit, Martínez Montañés justified the delay in finishing the work with the following sentence: it will be one of the first things in Spain and the best thing that the aforementioned has done. Time proved him right, since the size of the Immaculate Conception that presides over the altarpiece that was inaugurated on December 8, 1631 is considered a work of exceptional value. She is popularly known as La Cieguecita because of her downcast gaze with barely open eyelids.

The altarpiece as a whole consists of a bench on which are placed the portraits of the previously mentioned patrons of the chapel, which were painted by Francisco Pacheco in 1631. The central niche with the image of the Immaculate Conception is flanked by carvings of Saint Pope Gregory and Saint John the Baptist as well as reliefs of Saint Joseph, Saint Joachim, Saint Jerome and Saint Francis.

La Cieguecita is made of cedar wood, measures 164 cm and is designed according to the model described by Francisco Pacheco in his book Treatise on the Art of Painting. She is therefore a girl Virgin with long hair that falls on her back. She wears a long tunic with a girdle that symbolizes her maidenhood and a cloak over her shoulders that is gathered up with her left arm, producing numerous folds. Her head is adorned with a crown of 12 stars that allude to the twelve tribes of Israel. On its base appear the faces of three angels on a dragon that represents sin. ^{[citation needed ]}

• Capilla de la Encarnación

It is presided over by an altarpiece attributed to Francisco de Ocampo y Felguera that was made around 1630 with the main theme of The Annunciation. On its bench there are reliefs of Saint John the Baptist, Saint John the Evangelist, Saint Dominic, Saint Francis and Saint Anthony.

• Chapel of the Virgin of the Star

It owes its name to a Renaissance image of the Virgin that is believed to have been made by the Renaissance sculptor of French origin Nicolás de León around 1530. This carving is located in a Baroque altarpiece by Jerónimo Franco dated 1695.

• Chapel of Saint Gregory

It is named for a sculpture of Saint Gregory placed in a niche. The saint carries a book in which is the signature of its author Manuel García de Santiago (17th century).

Chapels

East Side Chapels

• Altar of the Magdalena

The patrons of this altar were Pedro García de Villadiego and his wife Catalina Rodríguez, who commissioned an altarpiece in 1537, on whose bench are their portraits, Don Pedro with Saint Benedict and Doña Catalina with Saint Francis. The main theme of the altarpiece is The Annunciation in the attic and The Magdalene at the feet of the Risen Christ in the main body. These are paintings by an anonymous disciple of Alejo Fernández made around 1537.

The stained glass window next to this altar, the work of Arnao de Flandes in 1535, represents Saint Sebastian with the face of Emperor Carlos I.

• Assumption Altar (there is another altar of Assumption at the north end of the ship of the cathedral cruise)

In the center of the altarpiece found in this chapel, there is a relief depicting the Assumption of the Virgin, a work by an unknown author that is framed by paintings of Saint Ildefonso and Saint Diego de Alcalá. On the bench there are the paintings of the sponsors, the jury Juan Cristóbal de la Puebla and his wife who endowed it in 1593. All the paintings are by the artist of the Sevillian school, although born in Ronda, Alonso Vázquez, they were made at the end of the century XVI.

• Chapel of San Pedro

On the left wall is the mausoleum of Diego de Deza, Bishop of Seville until 1523, remembered among other things for being the great defender of the theories of Christopher Columbus before the Catholic Monarchs.

The altarpiece of this chapel is dedicated to Saint Peter, it was commissioned by the Marquises of Malagón in 1625 from the versatile artist Diego López Bueno, architect, sculptor and carver who was in charge of the structure, while the paintings are the work of Francisco de Zurbarán made in 1630, highlighting the central one that is a beautiful Immaculate Conception, one of the best that came out of his brushes. On the bench of the altarpiece different scenes related to Saint Peter, Christ and Saint Peter on the waters, Christ handing over the keys to Saint Peter and Saint Peter healing the paralytic . In the first body The Vision of Saint Peter, San Pedro Papa and The repentance of Saint Peter. In the second body Saint Peter released by the angel, The Immaculate Conception and Quo Vadis. In the attic there is a painting of the Eternal Father, this work not being an original work by Zurbarán but a copy placed in the 18th century.

Lastly, we should highlight the gate that closes the chapel, the work of Fray José Cordero de Torres completed in 1780. This artist was a lay religious of the San Francisco convent in Puerto de Santa María.

• Royal Chapel of Seville Cathedral

Royal Chapel vault.

The Royal Chapel acts as the head of the cathedral. It has a square floor plan with an apse and two side chapels, covered with a hemispherical dome and a lantern made between 1567 and 1569 by Hernán Ruiz el Joven. In this chapel is located the pantheon with the silver urn of King San Fernando made by Juan Laureano de Pina in baroque style, as well as the tombs of Alfonso X of Castile and his mother, Queen Beatriz of Suabia. King Pedro I of Castile and his wife, Queen María de Padilla, are buried in the crypt of the Royal Chapel, among other members of royalty. On an altar in this crypt is the image of the Virgen de las Batallas, an ivory sculpture from the XIII century. In the main altarpiece of the Royal Chapel, from the XVII century, is placed the Gothic image of the Virgen de los Reyes, patron saint of the city and of the archdiocese of Seville.

• Big Conception Chapel

This chapel originally served as a burial place for the knights who accompanied San Fernando in the conquest of Seville, from 1654 its patronage belonged to Gonzalo Núñez de Sepúlveda, twenty-fourth knight of Seville who was granted the right to to be buried in this place after an important donation that he made on the occasion of the eighth of the Immaculate Conception. Currently his remains are on the left wall behind a tombstone with the Sepúlveda coat of arms according to the design of the painter Juan de Valdés Leal. In the chapel gate, completed in 1668, you can also see the same coat of arms.

In the interior, a superb Baroque altarpiece with a great profusion of ornaments and beautiful Solomonic columns that is articulated in two bodies, was drawn and executed by the architect and assembler Martín Moreno in 1656. The images are the work of Alonso Martinez, except for the crucified Christ known as Cristo de San Pablo. In the first body, the central image is the one known as Concepción Grande, while the lateral ones correspond to San José and San Pablo. The second body is presided over by the aforementioned Christ of Saint Paul, which is a work of the XVI century and possibly belonged to the decoration of the old altarpiece, being recovered to place it in its current situation. This image once enjoyed great devotion in the city. Next to it are the carvings of San Gonzalo and San Antonio de Padua.

On the right wall is a neo-Gothic marble tomb built in 1881, in which is buried the former Archbishop of Seville, Cardinal Francisco Javier Cienfuegos Jovellanos, born in Oviedo in 1766 who was in charge of the Diocese of Seville from 1824 until his exile in Alicante for political reasons on February 18, 1836.

Until 1810, one of Murillo's best works, The Birth of the Virgin, was exhibited in this chapel. This painting was the object of a robbery perpetrated by the French Marshal Soult during the War of Independence and is currently in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Between 1835 and 1837, the illustrious Canarian priest Cristóbal Bencomo y Rodríguez, confessor to King Ferdinand VII of Spain and Titular Archbishop of Heraclea, was buried in this chapel. He spent his last years in Seville where he enjoyed the dignity of Arcediano de Carmona and lent his help to the population in cases of great public calamities, such as a cholera epidemic that struck the city of Seville in 1823. A portrait of him is exhibited next to those of other illustrious people in the Colombian library of the cathedral. His remains are currently entombed in the Cathedral of San Cristóbal de La Laguna in Tenerife.

• Altar of Santa Barbara

The painting that represents Saints Justa and Rufina stands out, a work by Miguel de Esquivel made in 1620, there are few data on this artist, since this is his only known work, it is known that he died very young in 1621. The Santas are represented on both sides of La Giralda. Santa Justa looks up at the sky, while Santa Rufina seems to be meditating with her eyes lowered. The detailed representation of the Giralda is very interesting, since among other details you can see the paintings with different saints that then adorned it and have now disappeared.

There is also a small altarpiece on this altar with paintings by a disciple of Antonio de Alfían and an image of San Antonio without much artistic interest.

• Altar of Santa Justa and Rufina

Its patronage is due to the Bécquer brothers in 1622. In it is an outstanding sculpture of the saints that was made in 1728 by Duque Cornejo. These images come from the Church of El Salvador (Seville) and are processed annually on the Corpus Christi festival.

South Side Chapels

The chapels on the south side are divided into 2 groups by the door of San Cristóbal. In the first group, starting from the east façade, are the Chapel of the Mariscal, Antesacristia, Chapel of Sorrows and Chapel of San Andrés. In the second, the Chapel of the Virgen de la Antigua, which is larger than the others, the Chapel of San Hermenegildo, the Chapel of Santa Ana and the Chapel of San Laureano, which comes into contact with the west façade. Near the Puerta de San Cristóbal are the altar of La Piedad, the altar of La Concepción and the monument to Christopher Columbus.

• 1. Mariscal Chapel

The Purification of the Virgin of Pedro de Campaña.

This chapel owes its name to its patron, Diego Caballero, a wealthy merchant and shipowner, marshal of the Island of Hispaniola since 1536, who in 1553 gave the Cabildo of the Cathedral of Seville the important sum of 26,000 Maravedíes to found a chaplaincy and build the pictorial altarpiece that persists today, undoubtedly a jewel of Renaissance art.

The altarpiece is the work of the painter Pedro de Campaña, who had the collaboration of the carver Pedro de Becerril for the imagery and architecture, and the painter Antonio de Arfián for the polychromy of the architectural structure, the work began in 1555, and lasted for eight months. It consists of a total of 10 tables. On the bench or lower part, on the left are portraits of Diego Caballero, his son and his brother Alonso, in the center Jesus among the doctors, on the right are portraits of Leonor de Cabrera (wife of Don Diego) and his sister Doña Mencía (Alonso's wife) with their daughters. In the main body, the central panel is The Purification of the Virgin, to its right Santo Domingo (above) and Santiago in the battle of Clavijo (below), to his left The imposition of the chasuble on Saint Ildefonso (below) and The stigmatization of Saint Francis (above). In the attic The Resurrection and further up the auction El Calvario.

The main table, as already mentioned, corresponds to the Purification of the Virgin, this scene recounted in the Gospel of Saint Luke, is also known as the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. According to the law of Moses, all the Jews they had to consecrate their children in the temple, but the parturient was considered impure and was only allowed to enter the House of God 40 days after the birth, that is why this holiday is celebrated 40 days after December 25, that is, on February 2. The table has dimensions of 330 cm by 240 cm and is inspired, according to some authors, by an engraving by Albrecht Dürer. In the foreground there is an invalid on the ground who extends his arm while a child offers him a piece of fruit, behind the Virgin and Simeon with the child in his arms, a series of female figures surround the scene, each one an allegory of the different virtues of the Virgin. The figure of La Caridad has two children in her arms, behind La Temperanza with a jug, La Justicia with a scale, La Fortaleza with a lion's head on a brooch, La Prudencia with a mirror, La Fe with a cross on the hand and Hope tilting her head up.

• 3. Dolores Chapel

Dolores Chapel.

Through this chapel you can access the Sacristy of the Chalices, among its artistic elements, an image of the Virgen de los Dolores stands out located on the bench of the altarpiece, it is a work carried out by Pedro de Mena from 1670. In On the front wall is the tomb of the former Archbishop of Seville and Cardinal Marcelo Spínola, who is represented in an attitude of prayer. It was sculpted by Joaquín Bilbao in 1906. At the top hangs a superb painting by Valdés Leal, it is The Betrothal of the Virgin and Saint Joseph, dated 1657. Other paintings of interest that adorn this chapel are The Denial of Saint Peter and The Burial of Christ, anonymous French works from the XVII, and Jacob Blessing His Sons, a Flemish painting also from the 17th century, attributed to Pieter van Lint.

• 4. Chapel of San Andrés

Christ of the Clement of Juan Martínez Montañes.

The most important artistic element in this space is undoubtedly the Cristo de la Clemencia (1603), a polychrome wooden sculpture by Juan Martínez Montañés, also called Cristo de los Cálices, due to the place where it was previously located in The cathedral is a masterpiece of Baroque sculpture; it is a beautiful crucified that inspires enormous serenity. It has the particularity of being attached to the cross with 4 nails instead of the usual 3.

On the right are four ancient Gothic tombs that were made around the year 1400, possibly in the Toledo workshop of the sculptor Fernán González. In them are buried Alvar Pérez de Guzmán, his father, his wife, Elvira de Ayala and his son.

There are also two very interesting paintings attributed to Lucas Jordán that were painted around 1700. The first represents The Transfer of the Ark of the Covenant and the second The Canticle of the prophetic Mary, that is to say the scene in which the sister of Moses sings accompanied by other Israelite women in thanksgiving for having been able to cross the Red Sea. In the upper part is a copy of the Martyrdom of San Andrés, by Juan de Roelas, the original is in the Museum of Fine Arts in Seville.

• Piedad Altar

The main element of this altar is the central painting of the altarpiece that was made by Alejo Fernández in the year 1527. This table represents the scene of La Piedad with the figures of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, José de Arimathea, Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany and Mary Salome. On the bench of the altarpiece you can see the portraits of Mencía de Salazar and her husband Alonso Pérez de Medina, donors of the work.

• Altar de la Concepción

The Genealogy of Christ de Luis de Vargas, (1561).

This altar should not be confused with the Capilla de la Concepción Grande, which is also found in Seville Cathedral and is dedicated to the same dedication of the Virgin Mary.

The main painting of the altarpiece stands out in this space, which was made by Luis de Vargas in 1561 and represents an allegorical theme about Jesus Christ. In it, various characters are located around the tree of Jese that symbolize the temporal genealogy of Jesus, starting from Adam who is in the foreground. Above these characters, on a cloud, is the Virgin with her son in her arms.

This painting has been popularly known since ancient times as Picture of the Shrimp. It is said that in the XVI century, the master Mateo Pérez de Alesio was in the cathedral painting a San Cristóbal, and admired so much the work of Luis de Vargas that one day he said to him: Piu vale la tua gamba, che il mio S. Cristoforo, from this anecdote comes the popular denomination. It is complemented by the portrait of the donor, the Sevillian cantor Juan de Medina, who appears on the bench of the altarpiece and who is resounding proof in favor of the high conditions of Luis de Vargas as a portrait painter.

The chapel is protected by a Renaissance gate, completed in 1562. It was designed by Hernán Ruiz II.

• 5. Chapel of the Virgin of the Old

Chapel of the Virgin of the Ancient.

According to legend, before the conquest of Seville by the Christians, an angel led King Saint Ferdinand into the city's main mosque, where behind a wall that became transparent, he could see the image of the Virgen de la Antigua who remained hidden there for centuries. A few days later the Muslim forces surrendered and San Fernando entered the city triumphantly on December 22, 1248.

The current chapel is presided over by an altarpiece in the center of which there is a frescoed image of the Virgen de la Antigua, made according to historians in the XV, on a wall of the old mosque that occupied the space of the current cathedral. The Virgin holds her son with her left hand and a rose with her right, while the Child holds a bird. Above her head, two angels hold in the air a crown that was made in 1929 on the occasion of the canonical coronation of the image and another angel above shows the inscription Ecce Maria venit . The altarpiece is made of marble and the different sculptures it has are carved by Pedro Duque y Cornejo.

On the left wall is the beautiful tomb of Cardinal Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, which was made in Italy by Domenico Fancelli in 1510. On the right wall, the tomb of Archbishop Luis de Salcedo y Azcona, a work sculpted by Duque Cornejo between 1738 and 1740. Another notable feature are the many silver lamps from the 18th century that adorn the chapel.

• 6. San Hermenegildo Chapel

Detail of the tomb of Cardinal Cervantes.

This was the place chosen by Cardinal Juan de Cervantes to rest forever. Cardinal Cervantes was born in Lora del Río, (Seville), in the year 1382 and was bishop of the city for five years, from 1449, until November 25, 1453. Lorenzo Mercadante of Brittany carved in 1458 the magnificent Gothic tomb made in white alabaster that is still preserved and stamped his signature Lorenzo Mercadante of Brittany carved this bundle. On the front side stands out the cardinal's coat of arms supported by angels, above the enormously realistic recumbent statue on a catafalque.

Inside the chapel there is also an altarpiece made by Manuel García de Santiago around 1750 presided over by an image of Saint Hermenegildo carved by Bartolomé García de Santiago.

• 7. Chapel of San José

The neoclassical altar that presides over this chapel was designed by the architect Juan Pedro Arnal and built between 1785 and 1800. The main sculpture that represents Saint Joseph is the work of José Esteve Bonet and the rest were made by Alfonso Giraldo Bergaz.

On the right wall is the tomb of Cardinal Manuel Joaquín Tarancón y Morón, Archbishop of Seville between 1857 and 1862.

Among the paintings that adorn the walls we can highlight King Baltasar's Supper, the work of the Flemish painter Frans Francken the Younger. You can also see a harpsichord made in 1787 by Gabriel Buntebart and Sievers, an instrument of great value of which there are very few in the world.

• 8. Chapel of Saint Anne or the Christ of Maracaibo

Behind the altar, you can see a pictorial altarpiece made in 1504 and dedicated to Saint Bartholomew. It is unknown who its author was, although a detailed analysis of its characteristics has determined that the work is the work of two artists that it has not been possible to identify.

On the bench of the altarpiece there are different scenes of the Passion of Christ, the Flagellation, the Way to Calvary, the Crucifixion, the Descent and the Pietà. In the first body, paintings of various saints that correspond to Santiago el Mayor, San Blas, San Bartolomé, San Nicolás and San Sebastián. In the second section dedicated to Mary, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Anne, the Virgin with the child, Saint Martha and Saint Michael the Archangel are represented.

Another noteworthy element of this chapel is the image painted on a panel of the Christ of Maracaibo, made in 1560 and attributed to Pedro de Villegas Marmolejo. Modernly it was integrated into an altarpiece made by Joaquín Bilbao in 1919.

On the right wall is the tomb of the former Archbishop of Seville and Cardinal Luis de la Lastra y Cuesta, sculpted by Ricardo Bellver in 1880. The figure of the cardinal is on his knees leaning on a prie-dieu.

• 9. San Laureano Chapel

This chapel was the first part of the cathedral to be built. It contains the tomb of Archbishop Alonso de Egea who was buried in 1417 and that of Cardinal Joaquín Lluch y Garriga who died in 1882.

The altarpiece dedicated to San Laureano is by an unknown author, it consists of two bodies, in the central niche San Laureano is represented dressed as a bishop with a knife in his hand that symbolizes his martyrdom, to his right the Saint is represented praying and to the left the appearance of the angel who told him to leave Seville. In the upper part, the martyrdom of San Laureano is represented flanked by angels framed in Solomonic columns.

The vault of the chapel was once decorated by Lucas Valdés, but these paintings have been lost. Five paintings by Matías de Arteaga y Alfaro, made between 1700 and 1702, currently hang, representing the following scenes: The resurrection of a young man in Marseilles by the intervention of San Laureano, San Laureano in Rome before the Pope Virgil, The healing of a sick person in Rome by the intervention of Saint Laurean, The martyrdom of Saint Laurean, The delivery of the head of San Laureano to the clergy of Seville.

West Side Chapels

Silver Altar.

• Altar of Birth

In the altarpiece there are several works by the painter of the Sevillian school Luis de Vargas that were made from 1555. The central scene corresponds to The Adoration of the Shepherds, one of his best works of clear Italian influence. This representation served as the basis for making a stained glass window for the Maumejean house, which is located in the Chapel of Saint Joseph of this cathedral. The rest of the paintings correspond to The Annunciation, The Presentation, San Juan, San Lucas, Saint Matthew, San Marcos and The Adoration of the Kings.

• Altar of Our Lady of the Ribbon

On this altar there is a polychrome terracotta sculpture of the Virgen de la Cinta that is attributed to the sculptor Lorenzo Mercadante and is believed to have been made around 1470. The image has a long ribbon around her waist, which symbolizes comfort, remedy and protection.

The origin of this Marian dedication is very old. According to the legend published in 1714 by Fray Felipe de Santiago, a shoemaker named Juan Antonio invoked the virgin for having intense pain in her side. Shortly after he found a ribbon on the floor, and when he tied it on, her pain disappeared immediately.

San Isidoro Chapel.

Altar of the Madonna del Madroño.

San Leandro in the altarpiece of the chapel of his name.

• San Isidoro Chapel

Inside there is an altarpiece made by Bernardo Simón de Pineda with sculptures by an unknown author that represent San Isidoro, San Leandro, San Francisco and San Diego de Alcalá. The outer grille was made in Antwerp in 1660.

• Altar of the Madonna del Madroño

It contains a sculptural composition made of polychrome stone in which the Virgin and Child are represented. At her feet an angel kneeling in an attitude of admiration. The set is believed to have been made by Lorenzo Mercadante of Brittany around 1455.

• Guardian Angel Altar

On this altar hangs the beautiful painting The Guardian Angel, painted by Murillo around 1655.

• Consuelo Altar

Its main element is the painting La Virgen del Consuelo made around 1720 by the painter of the Sevillian school Alonso Miguel de Tovar.

• Mudo Child Altar

It receives this popular name from an image of the Child Jesus that was carved around 1650, probably by a disciple of Martínez Montañés.

• San Leandro Chapel

It stands out a splendid baroque façade in carved stone, the work of Matías de Figueroa and Diego de Castillejo that was made in 1773. Inside there is an altarpiece by Manuel de Escobar made in 1730 with carvings by Pedro Duque and Cornejo. The main figure of the same is San Leandro flanked by San Antonio Abad and San Fulgencio. In the upper part you can see the carving of Santo Domingo de Guzmán.

• Altar of Our Lady of the Alcobilla

In this altar there is a baroque altarpiece in which a sculptural representation of La Piedad is placed. The Virgin is dedicated to Our Lady of Alcobilla and she is the one who gives the altar its name. It is believed that this sculptural group was made in Germany around the year 1500, and originally belonged to the private chapel of the Pinelos family. Later it was restored thanks to the mediation of the canon José Torres Padilla and was finally placed on the site it now occupies. The iconography has some peculiar details that would be repeated a lot in other later representations. The Virgin takes only one of the arms of Jesus Christ, whose head falls violently.

• Visitor Altar

In 1566, the painter Pedro de Villegas was commissioned to create the altarpiece for this chapel, which was paid for by the chaplain of the cathedral, Diego de Bolaños, who is represented on the bench with his relatives.

The central space is dedicated to a painting of The Visitation, that is, it represents the visit of the Virgin Mary pregnant with Jesus to her cousin Saint Elizabeth who was at her side. once pregnant with Saint John the Baptist. It is flanked by images of San Blas, The Baptism of Christ, Santiago and San Sebastián. This group shows us the clear mannerist and flamenco influences that exist in the work of Villegas.

On the bench you can see a relief of San Jerónimo dated 1566 that is considered one of the best works of the sculptor Jerónimo Hernández.

• Capilla de los Jácomes

Inside this chapel, known as Los Jácomes or Nuestra Señora de las Angustias, there is an altarpiece with a frankly Baroque scheme carved by Francisco Dionisio de Ribas between 1658 and 1660, in whose central body is the Canvas of La Piedad, also called Nuestra Señora de las Angustias, painted by Juan de Roelas and dated around 1609.

This small chapel was built after 1650, for the veneration of the aforementioned painting that enjoyed great devotion in the city, taking advantage of the void left by the baptismal font that had been moved to its current location, when it was opened in that location a communication door with the church of the Tabernacle.

In 1658, the widow and heirs of the merchant of Flemish origin, Adrián Jácome, requested from the council the award of this chapel for the burial of the Jácome family and on August 8 the transfer was formalized, in exchange for an amount in cash and the exterior of the chapel.

North Side Chapels

The vision of San Antonio by Murillo (1656).

• Chapel of San Antonio

It is the Baptismal Chapel of the cathedral, in the center is a magnificent Renaissance baptismal font from the XVI century, made in White marble. In the background, framed by a carved molding by Bernardo Simón de Pineda, is the painting The Vision of Saint Anthony. This large-scale work dates from 1656 and is one of Murillo's top creations. In the lower part of the painting, Saint Anthony, in the middle of the penumbra with outstretched arms, directs his gaze to the upper part of the canvas where the Child Jesus is represented in the center of an intense light and surrounded by clouds and numerous angels.

This painting has suffered various vicissitudes throughout history, in 1810 it was about to be stolen by Marshal Soult of Napoleon's army, the cathedral chapter managed to make him give up, giving him in exchange The Birth of the Virgin, also by Murillo, which is currently in the Louvre Museum. On November 4, 1874, unknown persons mutilated the work to seize the figure of Saint Anthony. He did with the fragment and returned it to the Sevillian cathedral. After a restoration process, it was exhibited again in 1875.

In the upper part of the altarpiece is another work by Murillo, The Baptism of Christ, which was carried out in 1668. The following paintings are also found in this chapel: The Imposition from the canopy to San Isidoro by Lucas Valdés, four paintings that make up a cycle on the creation of the painter Simón de Vos, The Creation of the World, The creation of animals, The separation of the light from the darkness and The separation of the waters of the earth.

• Scalas Chapel

It owes its name to Baltasar del Río, who was a canon of the cathedral and during one of his trips to Rome managed to get Pope Leo X to appoint him bishop of the modest diocese of Scalas in the Kingdom of Naples. In 1517 the Sevillian council gave him a chapel free of patronage so that he could build his mausoleum, which was completed during his lifetime as it is still seen today. In 1531 he instituted a literary contest in Seville to encourage young people to study oratory and poetry. In 1540 in his will he specified his wish to be buried there, unfortunately he died shortly after in Rome on January 1, 1541 and the tomb was empty forever.

Behind the tomb is a marble altarpiece depicting the descent of the Holy Spirit framed by two Corinthian columns. On the bench various carved scenes, the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish, the bishop in an attitude of prayer and his coat of arms. The set was made around 1539 and is attributed to the workshop of the Italian sculptor Gagini de Bissone. Another important work preserved in this chapel is the relief of the Virgin of Granada which is attributed to Andrea della Robbia (XV century)), it represents the Virgin with the child accompanied by San Sebastián, San Francisco, Santa Casilda and Santo Domingo. Among the canvases, The Adoration of the Shepherds stands out, the only work signed by its author, the painter Francisco Antolínez.

Tomb of Baltasar del Río, bishop of Scalas.

• Chapel of Santiago

Virgin of the cushion.

The first thing that attracts the attention of this chapel is a large painting painted by Juan de Roelas in 1609 in which Santiago is represented fighting against the Muslims in the Battle of Clavijo, where according to tradition his support was essential for the Christian troops to achieve victory. The canvas is framed in an altarpiece made by Bernardo Simón de Pineda in 1663. On top of it is a painting dedicated to the martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew, a work by Juan de Valdés Leal dated 1663.

There is also the Gothic tomb carved in alabaster in 1401 of Archbishop Gonzalo de Mena. On the tomb, a precious relief made of glazed clay of the Virgin with the child is known as The Virgin of the Cushion, because the child is found resting on a cushion, it is a work by the Florentine Andrea della Robbia del 15th century.

• San Francisco Chapel

In the altarpiece, the painting from 1657 by Francisco Herrera el Mozo stands out, The apotheosis of San Francisco and in the auction the painting by Valdés Leal from 1661 that represents The imposition of the chasuble to San Ildefonso.

• Altar of Our Lady of Bethlehem

The altarpiece by Jerónimo Franco dated 1622 stands out, in which there is a painting of the Virgen de Belén made by Alonso Cano in 1631.

• Assumption Altar

The altar of the Assumption or of the Conception, is presided over by an altarpiece donated by Juan Cristóbal de la Puebla in the 16th century and where there is a relief with the main theme of The Assumption of the Virgin, by an anonymous author. On the bench there are portraits on each side, one of Don Juan Cristóbal de la Puebla with his son and the other of his wife with their daughter. On the dust cover of the altarpiece there are small paintings of the Baptism of Jesus, Saint Catherine, Musician Angels, Allegories of Virtues and The Eternal Father, all by Alonso Vázquez.

• Chapel of the Maidens

This chapel, also called the chapel of the Virgins, was the headquarters of a brotherhood dedicated to helping maidens lacking economic resources to get married. It was founded by Micer García de Gibraleón in 1535.

It is illuminated by a stained glass window by Arnao de Vergara made in 1543, which represents the Assumption of the Virgin in its upper part and the Virgin of Mercy protecting the maidens in the lower part, an iconography similar to that of the Virgen de los Mareantes with which it should not be confused.

Inside the chapel stands out an altarpiece made by José Rivera in 1771, in its central niche the Annunciation of the Virgin is represented, flanked by paintings of Saint Bartholomew, Saint Peter, Saint Thomas and Saint James the Less. In the attic of the altarpiece a representation of Calvary flanked by San Ambrosio and San Agustín is portrayed.

On the outside, a high-quality gate dating from 1579 protects the entrance.

• Chapel of the Evangelists

Representation of Santa Justa and Rufina by Hernando de Esturmio.

The main element of this funerary chapel is the central altarpiece that contains interesting paintings by the artist of Dutch origin, a resident of Seville since 1539, Hernando de Esturmio.

This is a set of 9 tables arranged as follows: On the bench Santa Catalina with Santa Bárbara, San Sebastián with San Juan Bautista and San Antonio and Saints Justa and Rufina. In the background of this last table, among other details, La Giralda can be seen as it was before its last reform.

In the first section The mass of Saint Gregory flanked by San Marcos and San Lucas.

In the second body The Resurrection of Christ in the center and on its sides Saint John and Saint Matthew.

• Chapel of the Virgin of Pilar

This chapel originally belonged to the Aragonese knights who accompanied King Saint Ferdinand in the conquest of Seville. Since the beginning of the XVI century it was endowed by the Genoese merchant living in Seville Francisco Pinelo, serving as a burial place for his family.

This chapel has two altars. The main one, in the Baroque style, dated to the end of the XVII century, has a sculpture of exceptional value that represents the Virgin of Pilar, was made by Pedro Millán around 1500. The second altarpiece is also from the end of the XVII. It has in its center a sculpture of San Antonio Abad flanked by the images of Santa Inés and San Antonio de Padua.

This chapel has been attached to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome since 1626.

Other dependencies

Cover of the forehead.

Boveda de la Sala Capitular de la Catedral de Sevilla, renaissance style.

House of beads or room of ornaments

Former account, income and securities office of the council, located next to the chapter house. Inside, valuable objects are on display, such as the San Fernando banner, which is believed to have been carried by the troops of Fernando III of Castile in 1248 during the conquest of Seville.

Antecabildo

Also located next to the chapter house, it is accessed through the marshal's chapel. It was designed by Hernán Ruiz II, in 1564, the plant is rectangular, with a barrel vault carved in stone with coffers and a lantern in its central part. It consists of an iconographic program with a series of classical sculptures that represent the virtues and there are a series of reliefs that exemplify these virtues as the models of good conduct that the canons should have for the good government of the cathedral.

Chapter House

Hernán Ruiz II was also the first to be in charge of its construction, although it was completed by Asensio de Maeda in 1592. It presents as a novelty in Spanish Renaissance architecture the creation of an elliptical plan with the pavement that follows the same pattern as the that Michelangelo designed for the Capitol Square in Rome.

This room is decorated with paintings by Pablo de Céspedes (1592) representing the five virtues: Justice, Faith, Hope, Charity and Mercy, virtues that the members of the Chapter, who met in this room, should have. The decoration of the vault was carried out by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo with the placement in all its surroundings of a series of circular oil paintings with the representation of eight Sevillian saints and a large rectangular painting of La Inmaculada in the center.

Main Sacristy

The Greater Sacristy is a Renaissance construction that was built in the XVI century according to a project by the architect Diego de Riaño, with Rich Plateresque ornamentation and innovative technical solutions for its time. It consists of a Greek cross plan with short arms. On which a dome supported by four pillars with pendentives was built, where the Last Judgment is sculpturally represented in three circular rings. It is topped by a lantern where the outside light penetrates and illuminates the room along with the elliptical windows of the fanned vaults located in the brushwood that forms the Greek cross on the floor. Inside it houses some of the best works of art of the cathedral.

Detail of the vault of the major sacristy.

Sacristy of the Chalices

The interior of the chalices sacristy, in the background the painting of Francisco de Goya de The Saints Justa and Rufina.

The construction of the sacristy of Los Cálices began in 1509 by the master builder of the cathedral, Alonso Rodríguez. After passing the management through different hands and the works being stopped for a while, the project was resumed with a new design made by Diego de Riaño, although finally, due to the death of the master, it was finished by Martín de Gainza in 1537.

Inside there is a large collection of religious paintings from the 15th to the 19th century. Among the artists stand out Juan Sánchez de Castro, Alejo Fernández, Francisco de Zurbarán, Luis Tristán, Mattia Preti, Jacob Jordaens and Francisco de Goya.

Chapter and Columbian Library

Although it is commonly known as the Columbian Library, its holdings are actually the sum of the Columbian Library, donated by Hernando Colón, son of Christopher Columbus, the Capitular Library and the Capitular Archive. Its documentary and historical value is incalculable and contains a large number of manuscripts, including the original of the Book of Prophecies written by Christopher Columbus in 1504, the Cancionero de la Colombina and the Liber de promissionibus et predictionibus Dei of the late IX century. Among the incunabula are La Imago Mundi by Pierre d'Ailly or the Gramática castellana by Antonio de Nebrija. It is located in the northeast wing of the courtyard of the Orange trees.

Covers

Flat cover and bouncing of the Cathedral of Seville.

Ceramic groove on the decks of the main ship, shipboard and cruise.

The roof is the closing system of the upper part of a construction. In the Cathedral of Seville they are solved by means of a flat roof system, that is, the ceiling of the vaults is in contact with the roof, which is the layer that protects the building from the outside environment and the weather. There are no superimposed structures of wood or tiles as in many European Gothic cathedrals. Two different systems are applied depending on the parts of the building:

• Passable ace or flat deck. They are located on the roofs of the lateral naves and chapels. They are equipped with a certain degree of slope that allows the evacuation of rain water, for this purpose a filling is used that fills the space tightly and lightly and is located between the inner vaults and the terraces. The filling is in many cases broken loza, i.e. vessels that had been broken during the manufacturing process and were unusable for other purposes. They are placed face down, interspersed with lime mortar, according to a procedure that was very praised by different authors for their lightness and reliability.
• Ceramic disorder. A layer of regulation mortar is placed directly on the vaults, with the form they have. This procedure is used on the main ship, ship and cruise.

The cathedral as a cemetery

The works carried out on its flooring in the XIX and XX eliminated, incidentally, the concept of a temple as a cemetery for ecclesiastics, brotherhoods, founders of chapels or wealthy laymen, taking into account that since the last third of the century XVIII royal ordinances were issued prohibiting burial in churches, although the clergy continued to exercise their customary rights. Canon Juan de Loaysa, followed by Félix González de León, wrote down at the end of the XVII century (until 1708 when he finished his editorial) how many epitaphs and sepulchral laudas reported on the identity and other circumstances of those buried in this temple. Their compiled works, plus those of Alonso Morgado, Antequera Luengo and anonymous annotators give a total of 627 burials, an incomplete figure due to the existence of collective burial vaults, in addition to the remains transferred here in a funerary urn such as, among others, those of Benito Arias Montano (1811), Juan de Cervantes y Bocanegra or Christopher Columbus (1902).

Traditions

Procession of the cathedral on the day of the Immaculate Conception.

San Fernando Day

May 30th is the day dedicated to Fernando III of Castilla, for this reason a religious ceremony is held in which the Chapter of the Cathedral and a representation of the City Council participate. During the procession, a procession takes place inside the cathedral to the Royal Chapel, where the coffin containing the mortal remains of the king is located. During the early hours of the morning, the mortuary urn remains open, so that anyone who wishes can contemplate the mummy of the monarch. As patron of the Arma de Ingenieros, a mass is also celebrated during the morning with the assistance of the military hierarchies and a company of honors that arrives at the Royal Chapel parading inside the cathedral naves.

The Seville Sixes

Dance of the sixes of Seville Cathedral.

The sixes are a group of 10 children who, dressed in pageboy costumes typical of the XVI century, perform a series of sacred dances in the presbytery located in front of the High Altar of the cathedral, in the presence of the exposed Blessed Sacrament. It is a solemn act that takes place three times a year: during the Octave of Corpus Christi, the Eighth of the Immaculate Conception (between December 8 and 15) and in the Carnival Triduum that takes place during the three days prior to Wednesday. Ash, the date that marks the beginning of Lent in the liturgical calendar.

Virgin of the Kings

Annual procession of the image of the Virgin of the Kings.

Early in the morning of August 15, every year a procession takes place around the Cathedral with the image of the Virgen de los Reyes, patron saint of Seville. It is a size of French origin that according to tradition was given by Louis IX of France to his cousin Ferdinand III of Castile. The image can be seen throughout the year in the Royal Chapel, and on the day of the procession it is placed on a step decorated with bouquets of tuberose, leaving the cathedral through the Puerta de Palos to walk the surrounding streets for two hours.

Tears of Saint Peter

This tradition dates from 1403, although it was interrupted in the periods 1839-1865 and 1961-1986. It consists of the interpretation of a few clarion calls from the Giralda bell tower at midnight on June 28 and at 9:30 and 12 in the morning on June 29, the feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The touches are called Tears of Saint Peter in memory of the tears that the apostle shed after denying on 3 occasions that he knew Jesus Christ, according to the gospels. The melody is performed three consecutive times on each of the four faces of the bell tower by members of the Our Lady of the Sun Band of bugles and drums.

Corpus Christi

Immaculate of the Sacristy Major of the Cathedral of Seville, work of Alonso Martínez. This image comes out annually in the procession of Corpus Christi.

The Corpus Christi procession reaches great splendor in Seville and continues to be held on Thursdays to maintain the tradition. The procession leaves the cathedral at 8:30 in the morning and includes representations from all the brotherhoods and other associations and institutions. The procession culminates with the Custody of the Holy Thorn and the Great Custody of Arfe, one of the most valuable works of art that the temple preserves. Different steps are interspersed in which images of Sevillian saints are transported: Santa Ángela de la Cruz (the work of José Antonio Navarro Arteaga), Saints Justa and Rufina (Pedro Duque Cornejo, 1728), Saint Isidoro and Saint Leandro (Pedro Duque Cornejo, 1741), and San Fernando by Pedro Roldán (1671). Also The Immaculate Conception by Alonso Martínez and a sculpture of the Child Jesus by Martínez Montañés that is found during the rest of the year in the church of the Tabernacle.

St. Clement's Day

On November 23, the day of San Clemente, King Ferdinand III of Castile entered Seville. In this way, the city returned to Christian hands and was incorporated into the crown of Castile. On the occasion of this event that took place in 1248, King Alfonso X the Wise instituted in 1255 the so-called procession of the stands, also known as the procession of the sword or of San Clemente.

This tradition has been maintained to this day and every year a religious act and a procession are held in the temple in which the Cabildo and representatives of the Seville City Council participate. During the ceremony, a relic of San Clemente is carried, the Banner of San Fernando and his sword Lobera. The latter must be carried by the city assistant, suspended vertically and supported by the blade and not by the handle.

Stained Glass

The cathedral has a large collection of more than eighty stained glass windows, from the XIV century to the XX century. Among the most outstanding artists are from the Gothic period: Arnao de Flandes, Arnao de Vergara and Enrique Alemán and from the Renaissance Carlos Brujes and Vicente Menardo.

15th century

There are 17 stained glass windows distributed throughout the cathedral by Enrique Alemán. All these stained glass windows, as was normal in the Gothic period, consist of four streets each, where an image is represented in each of these streets. In the chapel of San Laureano: there is the one that represents Santa Catalina, Santa María Magdalena, Santa Marta and Santa Margarita (1485); Chapel of San Hermenegildo: above the entrance grate the one that represents the Four Bishops (1479); in the chapel of San José: it represents Saint Gregory, Saint Augustine, Saint Ambrose and Saint Jerome (1479); Chapel of Santa Ana: above the grate, that of Santa Águeda, Santa Lucía, Santa Cecilia and Santa Inés (1478); Chapel of Saint Anthony: on the grate the Four Evangelists (1478), in the chapel of Scalas: the apostles Saint Jude Thaddeus, Saint James the Lesser, Saint Philip and Saint James the Greater (1475), in the chapel of Santiago: Santa Justa, Santa Rufina, Santiago el Mayor and Santa Bárbara (1475), in the chapel of San Francisco: San Antonio de Padua, San Bernardino de Siena, San Francisco de Asís and San Luis de Tolosa (1475).

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  San Juan, Santiago, San Andrés and San Pedro by Arnao de Flandes

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  Vitral of the cathedral Four saints

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  Adoration of the shepherds made by the house Maumejean

16th century

Roseton of the Four evangelists by Vicente Menardo (1557).

There are a total of 29 stained glass windows by the artist Arnao de Flandes, including in the main sacristy: The Expulsion of the Merchants from the Temple (1556); in the chapel of the Virgen del Pilar: The Entry of Christ into Jerusalem and La Caridad (1552); in the chapel of The Evangelists: The Resurrection of Lazarus and The Birth of Christ (1553); inside the chapel of San Francisco: that of Saint Francis receiving the stigmata (1554); in the chapel of San Andrés: on the grate that closes the chapel one with the theme of the Holy Supper (1555); in the Chapel of Sorrows: the one that represents the Washing of the Feet (1555); inside the chapel of the Mariscal: The Betrothal of the Virgin and Saint Joseph (1556); on the cover of Campanillas: that of San Cristóbal (1546); in the chapel of the Great Conception: inside that of the Martyrdom of Saint Paul (1550); in the Royal Chapel: The Evangelists (1541) and Christ Carrying the Cross (1551) and above the Puerta de Palos: San Sebastián (1535).

In the Chapel of the Maidens, a stained glass window by Arnao de Vergara is preserved representing The Assumption of the Virgin, in its upper part and in the lower part The Virgin of Mercy protecting the maidens, made in the year 1543.

Vicente Menardo is the author of the rose window made in 1557 representing the Four Evangelists as well as those on the side doors, also on the main façade, with images of The Annunciation (1566) and The Visitation (1568). By this same artist are the stained glass windows inside the chapel of San Laureano with the images of San Isidoro, San Laureano and San Leandro (1572). In the Royal Chapel there are also two from the year 1574. On the altar of the Nativity there is another with the theme of The Annunciation (1566). In short, seven stained glass windows by Vicente Menardo.

From the end of the XVI century and made by Mateo Martínez are those that correspond to the chapter house for the illumination of the dome, have a round shape with a diameter of one and a half meters and with the representation of the coat of arms of the cathedral chapter on a transparent background.

17th and 18th centuries

The one made by Juan Bautista de León for the interior of the chapel of San Antonio is dated in the year 1685. From the 18th century are those that correspond to the chapels of San Pedro, one of the chapel of the Great Conception and another inside the chapel of Santa Ana representing the Holy Family.

19th and 20th centuries

From the XIX century, are those inside the chapel of San Hermenegildo (1819) and the chapel of Scalas (1880) made in Munich with the representation of the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Between 1929 and 1932, those inside the chapels of Los Dolores and San José were built, and those of the rest of the cathedral were restored under the direction of Murillo Herrera, founder of the Art Laboratory of the University of Seville.

Cathedral treasure

Among the treasures of the temple, numerous paintings stand out, many of them belonging to artists from the Sevillian school of painting from different eras, including several by Murillo, such as the portraits of San Isidoro or San Leandro; paintings by Zurbarán such as Santa Teresa, works by Luis de Morales and Francisco Herrera el Mozo. In sculpture and among others, those of Pedro Roldán, Juan de Mesa and Alonso Martínez. The tomb of Christopher Columbus, the work of Arturo Mélida located on the right arm of the transept, where the remains of the famous discoverer of America rest. Goldsmith works such as the busts-reliquaries of Juan Laureano de Pina and the processional monstrance of Juan de Arfe. Notable are the Alfonsian Tables from the XIII century, a gift from Alfonso X the Wise.

Arfe Custody

Silver Custody of Juan de Arfe.

The large monstrance of five bodies crowned by the statue of Faith, is a creation of the Valladolid silversmith Juan de Arfe who made it between 1580 and 1587 in Renaissance style. The artist himself considered that it was his best work and explained the complex iconography of the set in a brochure entitled Description of the layout and decoration of the silver monstrance of the Holy Church of Seville . It is 3.25 m high, contains about 350 kg of silver, countless figures of saints and numerous reliefs with Eucharistic scenes from the Old and New Testaments.

• In the first body the militant Church is represented, in the center is the image of the Immaculate surrounded by Saint Peter, Paul, Wisdom and Understanding. St.Ambrose, St.Gregorio, St.Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Thomas and St.Dámaso are the figures of the doctors of the Church. Below is a set of 36 reliefs from the Old and New Testaments. In the upper part of the temple, the sacraments placed in small bakerchi.
• The second body on the former is dedicated to the Eucharist. It contains in the center the space destined to the viril where the consecrated Host is placed, surrounded by the four evangelists. Outside the figures of the patron saints of the city Seville in groups of two: San Florencio and San Clemente, Santas Justa and Rufina, San Isidoro and San Leandro, San Hermenegildo and San Sebastián, San Servando and San Germán, San Carpoforo and San Laureano.
• The third body is dedicated to the Triumphant Church and in its center is represented the scene of the Mystical Lamb lying on the book of the seven stamps, as reported in The Apocalypse of Saint John.
• The fourth body represents the Trinity and contains the figures of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. On it is a small fifth body and the statue of the Faith that crowns the set.

Metalwork

Detail of the gate of the choir in which the Tree of Jesé is represented.

The bars have the utilitarian function of protecting the different enclosures of the temple, but at the same time they allow the entry of light and contribute to giving an atmosphere of mystery to the places of worship. They constitute an artistic manifestation that allows us to observe the evolution of the art of grillwork, as there are pieces from different periods and styles.

In the period between 1519 and 1523, Sancho Muñoz, from Cuenca, and Fray Francisco de Salamanca made the bars of the choir and the lateral ones of the main altar that show a beautiful Plateresque crest, while the main one of the main altar was made between 1524 and 1533 by Fray Francisco de Salamanca and Juan de Ávila.

In the XVI century, Pedro Delgado made the bars of the chapels of the Mariscal, of the cantor Luis de Medina, of Scalas and that of the Star. The latter was the model taken in the XVII century to build the bars of the remaining alabaster chapels.

Music

	Tiento Tiento de Alonso de Mudarra (Sevilla, 1510-1580).
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Portrait of the chapel master Francisco Guerrero by Francisco Pacheco (1599).

Facistol of Seville Cathedral.

Some of the best-known composers who have held the post of Kapellmeister of Seville Cathedral are:

• Pedro de Escobar between 1507 and 1514
• Pedro Fernández de Castilleja since 1514
• Francisco Guerrero between 1574 and 1599
• Ambrose Cotes between 1600 and 1603
• Alonso Lobo between 1604 and 1617
• Fray Francisco de Santiago between 1617 and 1643
• Alonso Xuárez between 1675 and 1684
• Diego José de Salazar between 1685 and 1709
• Pedro Rabassa who served the position between 1724 and 1757
• Antonio Ripa who got the appointment in 1768
• Domingo Arquimbau between 1790 and 1829
• Slavic Hilarion who took office in April 1832
• Evaristo García Torres since 1864
• Eduardo Torres between 1910 and 1934
• Norberto Almandoz Mendizabal between 1934 and 1960

Other composers closely linked to the Seville Cathedral throughout its history have been: Cristóbal de Morales, Alonso de Mudarra, Francisco de Peraza (organist), Estacio de Lacerna, Francisco de Peñalosa, Francisco Correa de Arauxo (organist), Sebastián Durón who held the position of second organist between 1680 and 1685, Eugenio Gómez, Buenaventura Íñiguez, Luis Leandro Mariani (organist), Joaquín Turina, Juan Bautista Elustiza and Manuel Castillo. Some of his organ works have been recorded by the organist José Enrique Ayarra (500 years of organ music in the Seville Cathedral). The Seville Baroque Orchestra has recorded an album entitled Music in the Cathedral of Seville with works by Antonio Ripa.

Among the preserved musical works, the Cancionero de la Colombina, a Spanish manuscript from the end of the XV century, contains Pieces by Juan de Triana, Juan Cornago and Francisco de la Torre.

The Cathedral treasures an important collection of handwritten choir books on parchment. These were placed in liturgical ceremonies on an extraordinary piece of furniture (facistol) made in 1565. At its top is a small temple with an image of the Virgin and child and, above it, a crucified Christ surrounded by sculptures of the 4 evangelists made by Juan Bautista Vázquez the Elder.