Peg-legged angel

The New Door of the cathedral.

The New Door of


the cathedral.



In the last year in the cathedral were a reform of their walls and their entry, is in this area where we do the first stop.



This is the entry< > principal of cathedral, this in origin was all empty, the building (which)how now covers the different side of the cathedral wasn't made and the people could walk freely.



Today we have a different view, normally if we think from the years of construction until today we have ten centuries. The opening of the Diocesan museum is a opportunity(for can) to view different view of the original wall of the cathedral, or can view more or less, what the original inhabitants of the cathedral saw, and feel the important senses that this incredible construction transmits.

There are four windows (in)side of the museum, and well we have four new views to feel new experiences.

By Manu

Some information about the Cathedral

Jaca Cathedral has provoked big debates about its date of construction.
Some investigators are sure that the building can be dated in 1063. Other experts think that the construction was around ten or twenty years later, although the Cathedral is one of the first buildings in Spain constructed following the International Romanesque trends.
The Cathedral has three naves with alternatings supports between pillars and exempt columns.
The three naves finish in three apses.
The central, is the deepest. It was reformed in the XVIII to install the organ there.
A curious piece of information is that inside the Cathedral is situated too the parish church dedicated to Santa Orosia. If you want to visit when you came into the Cathedral only turn left and you will find it.
Below the altar of the Cathedral are three silver boxes. One of them contains the remains of S. Indalecio, another guards the bodies of S. Voto and S. Félix. And the third silver box is occupied by the remains of an important character: Santa Orosia.

Bagües

Room of Bagües

If you go into the cathedral of Jaca you can visit the Diocesan Museum where you can find different rooms dedicated to romanesque painters.

One of them is the chapel of Bagües. Bagües was a church that was in a village called Bagües, it was in ruins. In the XIX century (...)decided to move (...) to the cathedral museum.

The architect designed a room like the Bagües church and we can see it.

Some people think that it is the chapel Sixtine but in the Romanesque style. Perhaps it is true since the story that its walls tells it is similar.You must read left to right and you will find stories change preposition about Holy Bible like the Creation of Adam and Eve, Resurrection of Lazarus and other scenes.

In the apse you can see the Pantocrator, it´s the Christ figure in a "mandorla", shape of almond, he is an important figure and his colours are brilliant.

In those times people couldn´t read and the painter tryed to make his art (was) very easy to understand.

This painter is very important in the romanesque style.

The Cathedral of Jaca

The Cathedral of San Pedro, in Jaca, is the first Romanesque Cathedral in Spain. It  is(past) started in 1075, by order of the King Ramiro I.
The porticoed door is on the west side, and it is covered with barrel vault with two arcs. This portico is called " Lonja Mayor".It is decorated by chessboard borders and ball decorations, typical of the Romanesque jaques.
(In this front) is very important the tympanum, where you can find a trinity "crismon" sorrounded by two Lions (Change word order in this sentence)

CATHEDRAL

Jaca cathedral is considered to be one of the most important Spanish monuments: It is the greatest Romanesque cathedral in Spain, and the model for all Spanish Romanesque. It is a candidate for UNESCO world heritage status. Built at the end of the 11 th century, it is a shining example of Aragonese-Romanesque stylle. The Diocesan Museum of Jaca houses one the world´s most significant colletions of medieval frescoes.

The Romanesque cathedral was constructed in two phases:

Fist Period: (1077-1082) During the reign of Sancho Ramirez and the his brother infanta García bishop.

Second Period (1104-1130): Alfonso I el Batallador and Esteban of Huesca helped the crown and mitre respectively.

In 1631 to 1752 it was demoslished.

1841: another demolition.

Outside:

It has two accesses:

Small doorway (mesure) Pantocrator in cover, symbols of the evangelists, bull and the lion.

Columns, archivolts and Capitals with the representation of Abraham´s sacrifice, and the King David playing the zither.

Jaca rod: standard measurement that was used in all Aragon.

Major door: "Penintencial Porch". Trinity Crismon: father, son and Holy Spirit.

Inside:

Basiilical plan is three naves, the central one wider and taller, with round arches.

It has some balls and a characteristic chessboard design called jaques that extended all the St James´way. A side chapel is Santa Orosia of Baroque style.

Cathedral

Jaca's most important building is the Romanesque Cathedral, which in later Centuries was altered and given Plateresque decoration.
The square tower, the outer walls, the main doorway and the south doorway are all Romanesque.

Typical characteristics of Romanesque architecture include thick stone walls, perfectly semicircular arches, barrel vaults, carved portals and little but predominantly geometric decoration (checkers, zig-zags, etc.). In addition, due to the insecurity of Romanesque architects about the best way to construct, doorways and windows are generally extremely narrow; interiors tend to be dim and solemn due to the lack of natural light.

There is very fine figural decoration on the south doorway and its porch: the capitals are very beautiful with a lot of representations of Bible stories.
In the choir and the dome of the central apse are frescoes by Bayeu.
In the cloister of the Jaca Cathedral is the Diocesan Museum, which in addition to a variety of religious objects displays a magnificent collection of Romanesque wall paintings from churches in the Aragonese Pyrenees.

In conclusion, if you are a lover of the Romanesque style, you have to visit Jaca, the Saint Peter's Cathedral to admire one of the most ancient cathedrals in Spain. You can also visit smaller Romanesque churches in the surrounding villages like Santa Cruz de la Serós and San Juan de la Peña.