Gothic Cathedrals



Gothic Cathedrals

When the traveler approaches the esplanade to the great south wall, is facing a strange set which vigorously mixed Gothic and Romanesque forms. It is the result of man's constant struggle to maintain a great group, especially dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Gothic architecture replaced the Romanesque and developed on the basis of Burgundy. There is evidence that at the beginning of 20th century master of the Abbey of Saint-Denis, under the leadership of Abbot Syuzhera began developing the new design is typical of Gothic arches. It is the church of St. Denis, a project that created the Abbot Suger, is considered the first Gothic architectural structure. In its construction have been removed, many bearing and exterior walls - so the church changed and acquired a more graceful appearance than Romanesque churches, sometimes called "fortress of the god."

Jesus Cathedral of Quito (1892)

The Cathedral Consecration of Jesus, better known as the Basilica del Voto Nacional is the most important neo-Gothic architecture of Ecuador and one of the largest in America. The basilica came from the idea of building a monument to commemorate the consecration of the State of Ecuador to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, held under President Gabriel Garcia Moreno in 1873. The preliminary draft was made ??in France by the architect Emilio Tarlier, making plans in 1890 and inspired by the cathedral in Bourges, although its structure is more like the cathedrals of St. Patrick in New York and Notre-Dame de Paris; on July 10, 1892 was the first stone.

Throughout the history of its construction were made ??several contributions to this work is carried out. Oblates parents donated the land on which stands the basilica; to proceed with the construction took donations from believers who provided stone for the blocks in exchange for recording their names on them. In 1895, the State introduced a tax on the purchase of salt to continue the building and managed to finish construction.

The basilica was blessed by Pope John Paul II, on January 18, 1985, being consecrated and inaugurated on July 12, 1988. One detail that distinguishes the work is replacing the classic gargoyles for reptile and amphibian fauna typical of Ecuador. La basilica has a Latin cross with a nave 140 meters long by 35 wide and 30 meters high and consists of 24 votive chapels of 15 meters each, the cruise is 74 meters, the two towers front ...