Tudela Cathedral

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The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Tudela (Spanish: Catedral de Santa Maria) is a

History

Christians under Alfonso the Battler conquered Tudela in 1119. The city had been under Muslim control, although three religious communities were living there. In the aftermath of the conquest, Muslims were forced to live in a suburb outside the city walls. The city´s main mosque was handed over to the church. The site was designated for the construction of a church (prior to the mosque there had been a church there dedicated to Santa María la Blanca). Construction began on a collegiate church in 1168.

The architectural style initially used was Romanesque. Among the treasures of the church, are the three Romanesque portals with elaborate sculptural decoration. The North door is called the Portal de Santa Maria, while to the South is the Portal del Juicio ("Portal of the Last Judgement"). Unusually, it devotes most of its decorated space to depictions of the torments of Hell.

The nave and chapels was rebuilt in Gothic-style. Construction lasted until the 13th-century.

The main chapel has a retablo (reredos) by 15th-century artists consisting of 18 panels of the Life of Jesus and Mary, and others depicting prophets and apostles. The sculpture of the Assumption of the Virgin (1606) is by Juan Bascardo.

The central choir was completed by Esteban de Obray in Gothic style. The organ was made in 1759 by Lucas de Tarazona of Lerín.^[2]

Conservation and access

In 1884, the collegiate church (the building was not at the time a cathedral) was declared a

Guided visits for tourists are organised at times when services are not taking place.[4]

See also

• Catholic Church in Spain

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cathedral of Tudela.

• Tudela Museum. It includes the cloister and guided visits to the cathedral.
• Tudela in the CENOBIUM project for the documentation of Romanesque cloisters.
• Puerta del Juicio (in Spanish). Reconstruction of the original color of the Puerta del Juicio.

42°03′49″N 1°36′19″W / 42.0636°N 1.6054°W / 42.0636; -1.6054