Cathedral of Funchal
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Sé
, Funchal
, Madeira
, Portugal
is the cathedral
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Funchal
, which encompasses all of the Autonomous Region of Madeira. The late fifteenth-century cathedral is one of the few structures that survives virtually intact since the early period of colonization of Madeira. The patron of the cathedral is Our Lady of the Assumption (.)
and has three naves. The roof of the cathedral features a Mudéjar
-inspired design and is of cedar wood. The exterior walls are made of stone from Cabo Girão.
The cathedral contains a silver processional cross, donated by King Manuel I of Portugal
, considered one of the masterpieces of precious metalwork of Manueline Portugal.
A statue of Pope John Paul II is located outside the cathedral, which was moved to its current position after formerly being installed in the urban area of Funchal adjacent to the waterfront.
Pêro Anes or Gil Enes to work on the design of the cathedral of Funchal. The cathedral was structurally complete in 1514. Prior to completion, however, by 1508, when Funchal was elevated to the status of a city, the cathedral was already being used for the celebration of Mass. The spire of the bell tower and a few additional details were finalized in 1517-1518.
Sé (Funchal)
Sé is a civil parish in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, the smallest parish and historical centre of Funchal. In 2001 its population included 2148 residents, along the southern coast of Madeira in an area of approximately 3.82 km²...
, Funchal
Funchal
Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira. The city has a population of 112,015 and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries.-Etymology:...
, Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
is the cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Funchal
Roman Catholic Diocese of Funchal
The Diocese of Funchal was created originally on January 12, 1514, through the bull Pro excellenti præeminentia of Pope Leo X, following the elevation of Funchal from a village to the status of town , by King Manuel I of Portugal...
, which encompasses all of the Autonomous Region of Madeira. The late fifteenth-century cathedral is one of the few structures that survives virtually intact since the early period of colonization of Madeira. The patron of the cathedral is Our Lady of the Assumption (.)
Design and artwork
The cathedral is designed in a Gothic styleGothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
and has three naves. The roof of the cathedral features a Mudéjar
Mudéjar
Mudéjar is the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity...
-inspired design and is of cedar wood. The exterior walls are made of stone from Cabo Girão.
The cathedral contains a silver processional cross, donated by King Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I of Portugal
Manuel I , the Fortunate , 14th king of Portugal and the Algarves was the son of Infante Ferdinand, Duke of Viseu, , by his wife, Infanta Beatrice of Portugal...
, considered one of the masterpieces of precious metalwork of Manueline Portugal.
A statue of Pope John Paul II is located outside the cathedral, which was moved to its current position after formerly being installed in the urban area of Funchal adjacent to the waterfront.
History
During the 1490s, Manuel I sent architectArchitect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Pêro Anes or Gil Enes to work on the design of the cathedral of Funchal. The cathedral was structurally complete in 1514. Prior to completion, however, by 1508, when Funchal was elevated to the status of a city, the cathedral was already being used for the celebration of Mass. The spire of the bell tower and a few additional details were finalized in 1517-1518.
External links
Diocese of Funchal - Information about the Cathedral- Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption - gcatholic
- Diocese do Funchal - Catholic Encyclopedia