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Romanesque portico and the cathedral's main gate created by Master Mateo and his workshop, on the orders of King Ferdinand II of León. The king donated to Mateo one hundred maravedís annually between 1168 and 1188. To commemorate its completion in 1188, the date was carved on a stone set in the cathedral and on the lintel that supports the richly ornamental tympanum.[1] Under the contract made in 1168, if Mateo was to renege on the deal to create the portico at any time, he would have to pay 1,000 gold pieces (aureos).[2] The complete three-piece set took until 1211 to completely finish; when the cathedral was consecrated in the presence of King Alfonso IX of León.[3][4]
Originally projected as a four-part division, it was modified into a three-part format, which changed the proportions of the entire portal.
Jubilee of 1182 and formal procession of pilgrims.[8]
The pure Romanesque fabric was altered slightly and later encased with a Baroque facade. Before the facade was erected, the portico would be seen from afar and would take pilgrims up a large flight of stairs to approach it. Without door valves, the three large arches were decorated with angels and foliage and framed the ciborium and altar at the end of the nave. Prophets and apostles form the columns and jambs welcoming pilgrims inside the church.[5]
Though the portal was originally poly-chromed, the numerous traces of the remaining paint seen today are due to later interventions. Records show that the portico was repainted often with contracts surviving from the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries.[5] Two types of paintings are distinguishable now on the structure. On some of the figures, the paint is powdery; the colors are light, soft and clear without any additional ornaments. This dates back to the fifteenth or sixteenth century.[5] The more enamel-like painting is harsher and darker with ornamental patterns dated back to the 17th century in a similar style to offering boxes in 1656.[8]
Concealed now by the Churrigueresque west front, the porch or narthex is no longer viewable from the exterior. The church is responsible for the preservation of the portal to this day.[9] The doors were never closed day or night in the Middle Ages.[5][note 1][10]
Architecture
Before initiating the work on the portico, Maestro Mateo's (Master Matthew) workshop finished the naves of the Cathedral by building a new crypt beneath the nave and the surrounding terrain. The portico consists of an undercroft that is used as a chapel called the catedral vieja.[5] The width of the portico was governed by the western edge of the towers and limits its view; the porch measures approximately 57 ft by 13.5 ft. Because Mateo was confined by the horizontal space, he designed upwards and higher.[11] He used an abundance of sculpted reliefs and three round arches that correspond to the three naves of the church, supported by thick piers with pilasters.
Master Mateo was also influenced by the local tradition and sculpture of the Puerta de las Platerías and the Cámara Santa of the cathedral of Oviedo.[8] French influence is seen in the iconography and composition with decorative sculpture similar to the details of the cloister of Santo Domingo de Silos Abbey.[8] Style and technique are completely unique to Master Matthew and his group of masons and sculptors of varying skill level. At the time, design and iconography were decided by the archbishop, his canons, and Maestro Mateo. The Archbishop Pedro II was a francophile and a main influencer of the iconography on the portico.[8] Examples include the simple, yet expressive monsters on the bases and the crude human figures. The portico seems to be the last known work of Master Mateo, although his studio continues to work under his name.[8]
Many diverse architectural features are combined including
Burgundian design and continues with the portico's large, rounded tympanum and double-storied jambs.[11] The figures of the tympanum are made up of a large number of individual reliefs set up side by side. Those on the innermost jamb are not attached to the columns but rest like plaques.[4] The portico represents the Written Law, the Law of Grace and the Natural Law, what can be called Glory.[8] The central arch represents the final destination of true Christians: glory and resurrection. The left arch is decorated with sculptures of patriarchs of the Old Testament and Jewish people waiting for arrival of the Christ. The right arch represents the New Testament and the Final Judgement.[6][12] Four angels blowing trumpets are carved in the four angles of the porch and symbolize the four corners of the world.[9] The angels are not centered directly under the ribs and therefore do not support the weight of the vaults.[4]
The Pórtico de la Gloria operates as a highly symbolic narrative whose function is to combine the present and the individual act of pilgrimage with meaning; by inscribing them within the universal and the eternal.
San Vincente of Avila.[12] Mateo's figures in the Pórtico de la Gloria were the first manifestations of the Gothic spirit in European sculpture. Mateo's style and that of his studio are materialistic in representation with plastic accentuation of the folds in the garments.[12] After his death, his workshop suffered and a lesser quality can even be seen at the tympanum.[5]