Terracotta Figures, Seville Cathedral
Seville Cathedral is the largest medieval church in the World, it's bulk is staggering with chapels and other structures extending the already massive church in all sorts of directions, though this does render the exterior somewhat hard to appreciate, much of it being tightly crammed in amongst the surrounding city streets. The impression is one of great width and block-like forms emerging above the rooftops, rather than the emphasis on soaring height found in French cathedrals.
Unusually the main body of the cathedral has no central or western towers (unless one counts the low stump over the crossing), instead being content to use the pre-existing Giralda tower adjoining the north east corner; this was once the minaret of the mosque that stood on this site during the Moorish period. It's upper storeys form the belfry and are a Renaissance addition, but the body of the tower with it's surface decoration is a stunning testament to the skill of the Islamic builders.
Most of the cathedral itself dates to the late 15th and early 16th centuries, and it's massive scale was clearly meant to surpass the former mosque on the site following the Spanish reconquest. However elements of the mosque building were incorporated into the present building, the already mentioned Giralda tower and the courtyard of 'los naranjos' (oranges) on the north side, serving as a kind of cloister, where elegant Moorish arches can still be seen (a motif subtly also used by the builders of the cathedral itself in some of the clerestorey windows).
The interior is vast and seems to extend in every direction with further aisles and chapels, and the scale makes it rather hard to take in. There are rich altarpieces, furnishings and stained glass windows everywhere, most in post-medieval styles (the glass is largely Renaissance whilst most of the altars are Baroque). The main exception to this rule is the awe-inspiring reredos behind the high altar, the retablos major, a wall of gilded sculpture rising almost the full height of the cathedral and adorned with scenes from the life of Christ, culminating in a dramatic coving and Crucifixion group at the apex. It is largely the work of one Flemish sculptor and dates from the early 16th century.
There are also many monuments to bishops and others, mostly in the side chapels, but the most famous is that erected in the 19th century to house the body of Christopher Columbus. His sarcophagus is held aloft by four dramatic vaguely art-nouveau figures in the south transept.
Many chambers and chapels in Renaissance and Baroque styles are attached to the south east corner of the cathedral, and with their lavish domes and interior make a visit to this huge church an even more bewildering yet fascinating experience.
Terracotta Figures, Seville Cathedral
Seville Cathedral is the largest medieval church in the World, it's bulk is staggering with chapels and other structures extending the already massive church in all sorts of directions, though this does render the exterior somewhat hard to appreciate, much of it being tightly crammed in amongst the surrounding city streets. The impression is one of great width and block-like forms emerging above the rooftops, rather than the emphasis on soaring height found in French cathedrals.
Unusually the main body of the cathedral has no central or western towers (unless one counts the low stump over the crossing), instead being content to use the pre-existing Giralda tower adjoining the north east corner; this was once the minaret of the mosque that stood on this site during the Moorish period. It's upper storeys form the belfry and are a Renaissance addition, but the body of the tower with it's surface decoration is a stunning testament to the skill of the Islamic builders.
Most of the cathedral itself dates to the late 15th and early 16th centuries, and it's massive scale was clearly meant to surpass the former mosque on the site following the Spanish reconquest. However elements of the mosque building were incorporated into the present building, the already mentioned Giralda tower and the courtyard of 'los naranjos' (oranges) on the north side, serving as a kind of cloister, where elegant Moorish arches can still be seen (a motif subtly also used by the builders of the cathedral itself in some of the clerestorey windows).
The interior is vast and seems to extend in every direction with further aisles and chapels, and the scale makes it rather hard to take in. There are rich altarpieces, furnishings and stained glass windows everywhere, most in post-medieval styles (the glass is largely Renaissance whilst most of the altars are Baroque). The main exception to this rule is the awe-inspiring reredos behind the high altar, the retablos major, a wall of gilded sculpture rising almost the full height of the cathedral and adorned with scenes from the life of Christ, culminating in a dramatic coving and Crucifixion group at the apex. It is largely the work of one Flemish sculptor and dates from the early 16th century.
There are also many monuments to bishops and others, mostly in the side chapels, but the most famous is that erected in the 19th century to house the body of Christopher Columbus. His sarcophagus is held aloft by four dramatic vaguely art-nouveau figures in the south transept.
Many chambers and chapels in Renaissance and Baroque styles are attached to the south east corner of the cathedral, and with their lavish domes and interior make a visit to this huge church an even more bewildering yet fascinating experience.