The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-06-04
THE c1TIIEDRAL AT SEVILLE
u,.,,wa. Buiit-F Father OReiiiy's Descrip-
,,,, OF u. Architectural Bcnuties.


,oIs thr .its of the present cathedral was oc- !
,riod las "A mosque second In sze and mag
nih,uncr only to that OF CordoNa, Ihe latter
va. tho uurivlllcd masterpiece OF Arab archi-
,,o,urr the former was the bunst OF the Almo-
h,d, Mo r. 40 different from the brutal Almo
,nvidrs or Bcrbcr conuucrOrs. who had pre-
coded them and aimed nj blotting out Arab
culture md CIVILIZATION.
<, ferdinand appropriated the Mosque OF
Seville to tho purposes OF Christian worship.
u-tas the onrly Arab con iuerors had'converted
the Cathedral of st. Leander and st. Isidore
intoa Mphnmmcdan house OF prayer. There
Is every reason to believe that the Amohade
temple erected IN III. continued to be in sub
stance tho Metropolitan Church OF Santa Maria
do la Sede for nearly century and n half after
tho conquest. In spite Of the ruinous condition
OF several parts OF the walls and roofs--a con-
dition brought about chiefly by repeated shocks
OF earthquake.
BE that as II may. on the oath OF August
1896. Seville was visited by an earthquake OF
unprecedented violence. A number OF the
finest buildings in the city were reduced to a
heap of ruins. The tower of tho Church of
San Salvador foil to the ground. and the beau
tiful Girada itself barely escaped destruction
In 1897 the Emr Yakoob. who sought to en-
bellisli Seville in every possible way. placed
UPON this tower. which was both IL muezzn
tower and an astronomical observatory. four
hollow spheres OF gilt bronze one above the
other and held In their place by an axis of
wrought iron weighing 900 pounds. The low
est and largest OF these spheres. was Of such
SIZE that they had to enlarge one of the city
gates To- give 1t passage. Il cost 100000 gold
coins. They were II splendid ornament to the
tower the most beautiful thing Of the Kind be-
But during the throes Of the earthquake the
lofty structure swaycd to and fro. the ANis
round which tho spheres rcvolvcd broke be-
thp and down thp golden
masses with "a great crash. sircwing the earth
with their fragments. and disiigurng the w;
per portion. The temple itself suffered stu
more severely: the walls were rent in several
places, and tho roof WAS rrrnaiaby injured.
restore the building They were soon forced to
confess that their cathedral wa 4 ruin. which
about their ears. 1t was u season Of continual
and bloody strife among the great mobiles the
city since the death Of Pcdro-e Cruel 1869
having ceased to be the residence OF the SOW
ercign, and being in consequence given over to
Nevertheless, the canons resolved to rebuild
the great church from the foundations. trust
ins to God and to their own sef-denying spirit
drrtaSin&. 1t is an historical fact infinitely TO
IL credit of the clergy Of this church. that to
indebted for this glorious structure as it
sttrds at present, with all its untold wealth in
sculpture, painting. iron work, and master;
embroidery. They prolted by the death OF
put into execution q resolve which no local
ecclesiastical authority could control. They
would set about building the new cathe
drni themselves. before the appointment OF an
other Archbishop.
! few days ~, ago had before me the original
must, in accordance with the preceding and
following dates. have been voted on July 81
H. q. 9 s ae'rSpo,sn church Of ~ Seville daily
s.eks Of .arthluaks several PORTIONS thoreoi being ia
oer church of such dmcnsons and beauty that 4 shall
not nN' is equal In all this let us be governed by the
or what Is iue to the atness
St @ as ws as tho to it, rrSs church A If
NJ all e nTs s s" s to s "a; . s Ihs, PER
d"ceN that they shall give up TO the divine service
This decree they ordered two canons to sign.
1t VAS during this memorable meeting that,
ac,ord'nE to constant tradition. one OF the
ennnnS arose and. carried away by his enthu-
must think we we're madmen. prie s'S and
builders went to work for God the architects
emulatins the noble and pious spirit Of the
chapter. No name was signed TO the original
nlan; which was afterward sent to Madrid and
T"ya in the nmeT which dsyoured the
builder 70 the chapter in 1896 and in 1906
Aon%2 i2driguez completed the lofty cupola
a.. From the laying Of the corner stone in 1902
~ the completion Of the cupola or ciniborio
~ this cimborio to the great height Of $50 feet
i wa not deemed necessary by the architect
strength Of the four supporting pillars. which
wire Of the same mcnsions as the others
5" on Dee. % 1911, the supporting pillars gave
way and brought down the cupoia with its ex-
and statues, In, 1919 however, the mischief
%aG rcphlrGd and the present cupola, III feet
hiShi wns ilnishsd jnstifyins the skill OF the
sine" i ,wthstood the earthquake which de-
strnyed Lisbon in the last century. and shook
SGHl" and its cathedral to their centre.
:. Ihls, says the annalist of the city. Zuiliga
the GOOD priests of the chapter began aud
cc2mnIgirl. without the, support of princes on
tho all Of prclates an edilicc TIN mugniilconce
o. r|h,rh Is the admiration of all men"
II" IN" stranger who has heard and road
much about it, and who stands Tor the first time
D. b, Lo'r us huge gray mass the Cathedral Of Sc
p"shtti hS ne walks along the north side 10
Nan n Il roG % Is in tho Pa9mS Of
TIE fact is that the Metropolitan Church OF ST.
ylc j. not rooted at all. | confess that one Of
he'd was that Offer d to my eyes by the roof oi
Mi5"n tathcdra rs seen at every stage Of the
nenti thr silt bronze statue Of the Madonna
crpWAn% the central splrc. On wandering
astone hment Mt the hundreds Of white spires
or pInilheies which soar al"ft into the deep
st STAT ca w y yo9 are Hs 1r III, or to 'pSg
fury in;en d., the ro9i d their glorious chief
fac, ol their beautiful Iombardy, while iT the the
m m'rhe IMAGES N , Of their sanity and heroic an
teGtor looked down upon them from every
side Ny the liberty loving people of both
city and country could not walk along the
strr"tS ON each side Of the Duomo without be-
hnidiIG: its very walisaliyc with the images Of
2" m"A and women who had lived among
them, or whose deeds recorded in Bible or
church history had been wont to animate
th'In and their fathers before them to similar
uInd' O! heroic piety or patriotism.
III seville all the glory Of its cathedral Is
within. Is great western front is unfinished
ul,Ilsur"d by unsoemly square structures
seerMnE as sacristies to some Of the inferior
ShhG"'r; with rotten scatroIling that adds to
IN dts iSlircment and tells of vain efforts and
untuIlrd designs Senior Casanova is pre-
pat!n% u!nnS for, the uncomplctcd north and
s4ath portals. Lot us hope that he may be-
allowed also to complete this western facade
y, hrrrrdance with the architectural features Of
IN" interior.
IiHt ph. how grand is that interior! You do
a., r";r"t on entering that no external mag
nli"hr" Is there to detail You II moment from
c"ll"hl iatng the wonders which challenge
your admiration the moment you enter
u ul" here give a few additional details 10
,N'h' me reader to have n clear conception OF
" pan and economy Of this great church
OliIub~N tllp Central door r