Cartagena Cathedral, Colombia
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of Cartagena in Colombia
, officially the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Saint Catherine of Alexandria , is located in the historic centre of Cartagena
. It is the episcopal see of the Archbishop of Cartagena de Indias, one of the oldest episcopal sees in the Americas. The cathedral is dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria
.
The cathedral was designed by master builder Simón González, modelled after basilicas in Andalusia and the Canary Islands. The present tower was designed by French architect Gastón Lelarge, the result of remodelling in the early twentieth century. Construction began in 1577, replacing a humble cathedral of straw and reeds. In 1586, while the church was still under construction, it was attacked by the English privateer Francis Drake
, which caused severe damage and delayed its completion. The building was finished in 1612.
The cathedral has a fine doorway and a simply decorated interior. It contains an 18th century gilded altar, a Carrara
marble pulpit and elegant arcades sustaining the central nave.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, officially the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Saint Catherine of Alexandria , is located in the historic centre of Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
. It is the episcopal see of the Archbishop of Cartagena de Indias, one of the oldest episcopal sees in the Americas. The cathedral is dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria
Catherine of Alexandria
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine is, according to tradition, a Christian saint and virgin, who was martyred in the early 4th century at the hands of the pagan emperor Maxentius...
.
The cathedral was designed by master builder Simón González, modelled after basilicas in Andalusia and the Canary Islands. The present tower was designed by French architect Gastón Lelarge, the result of remodelling in the early twentieth century. Construction began in 1577, replacing a humble cathedral of straw and reeds. In 1586, while the church was still under construction, it was attacked by the English privateer Francis Drake
Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...
, which caused severe damage and delayed its completion. The building was finished in 1612.
The cathedral has a fine doorway and a simply decorated interior. It contains an 18th century gilded altar, a Carrara
Carrara
Carrara is a city and comune in the province of Massa-Carrara , notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence....
marble pulpit and elegant arcades sustaining the central nave.