Stay, Stray, Play and Feast: Concatedral Santa Maria Caceres: Ancient Center of Faith (Medieval Caceres Series 7)

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Concatedral Santa Maria Caceres: Ancient Center of Faith (Medieval Caceres Series 7)

Concatedral Santa Maria Caceres
Ancient Center of Faith
Medieval Caceres Series 7

Located at the Plaza Sta. Maria and right
infront of Palacio Episcopal de Cáceres is
the Santa Iglesia Concatedral Santa María.

Built in the 13^th century and completed in the15^th
century it is one the oldest structures and considered
as the most important Christian temple in Cáceres.

We were completely awed with the
Romanesque transition to Gothic
interiors of sinuous arched ceilings,

…and antique church fixtures.

It is the concathedral of the diocese of Coria-Cáceres,
and was declared an Artistic Historical Monument
the cathedral also presently functions as museum.

Inside the church museum are
some of the oldest church relics,

…archaic paintings,

…and very old, historic sculptures,

Several smaller chapels are found inside the church-
like the gold-laden Capilla del Santísimo Sacramento.

Another one is the Chapel of the Blázquez or the
Santísimo Cristo, that contains the 14th century
Gothic crucifix of the Cristo Negro de Cáceres.

Other smaller yet beautiful chapels include
the Capilla de San Miguel Arcanghel,
with an artistic grille decorated with noble
coats of arms and a baroque altarpiece,

…the stunning Capilla Virgen de los Dolores,

...Capilla de la Virgen Milagrosa,

…and the Capilla Cristo de las Batallas,

All these grand chapels made the cathedral
appear that there were individual several
small churches, hosting different saints.

The cathedral seemed to have been like designed
to provide the Catholic faithful a place to worship
whoever they want to pray to answer their prayers.

It’s a spiritual smorgasbord.

The exquisite ancient sacristy also
stands out as it was made in 1527 .

Concatedral Santa Maria Caceres’ main attraction
is the massive Extremaduran style wooden altarpiece.
This masterpiece was carved from Flanders pine and
cedar by Guillén Ferrant and Roque Balduque in 1547.

In it are figures of the apostles,

…the motifs related to the Virgin,

... and to the childhood,

...and passion of Jesus.

The central most figure in the alter
is The Assumption of the Virgin.

The church has a Renaissance
period bell tower, built in 1554,

…which could be accessed
by a narrow winding stairway.

It houses the ancient giant bell
that is still perfectly working,

...and provides and breathtaking view,

…of the ancient city in all angles.

The tower is crowned by four flameros that
serves as a favorite nesting place for storks;

The church floor is made of ancient tombstones marking the
resting place of a past generation of prominent citizens of
the medieval era Caceres buried on this sacred ground.