The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-06-04
cherel ndmIts a feeble light from the enst. si,.

chapel admits feeble light from the east Six
teen OF these mighty pillar shafts sustain the
three inferior Hisles with pillars Of the same |
DIMENSIONS the vaulting being much lower. |
b an OF Ih" sane isng' US the maze az iest
are rallied of. and contain chHpels. with affairs |
and tolnbs. all decorated with moro or less |
and west ends have also like chapels. The |
royal chanel, containing tho tomb Of King 81.
Ferdinand is at the east behind the high altar |
and outside the quadrangle which forms, the |
ground plan OF tho edlfce. 1t TX III feet long |
esuuo or highly adorned renaissance archi.
lecture, and erected like every other portion OF
ths. cathedral at the expense Of the chapter
Thus. the extrOme outside length of Seville
Cathedral from east to west Is upward OF 500
feet. and its Interior width at every point OF the
with their massive transversal walls serve as
buttrossos to Withstand tho pressure OF the
sept which is in the sixth bay from tho, west
crn entrance is OF the same width and height
as the middle aisle. 60 and l44 feet respectively.
One may. on entering regret that four entire
bays OF the middle aisle should be blocked up
by the canonss choir and the high altar with
peculiar to Spain. and greatly detracting from
the apparent grandeur of Spanish cathedrals:
Seville, together with the height OF the nave
and side isles impr9sscs the beholder with u
sense Of vustness and sublimity. Indeed were
IT not for the blocking up of the nave by the
,OrO and CdDHd Mayor, this feeling Of subim-
in st. Peters. as the palm like column soaring
gracefully on high like forest would allow the
eye to range freely above and below. and to take
IN the dimensions OF this unique structure.
As 1t is, however when you see the great tenn
pie most filled. us during the nights OF Wedncs-
day. Thursday, and Friday in Holy Week. or on
May &c. tho feast of King st. Ferdinand, you
can see that there Is more than ample room for
the largest congregation ever likely to- assem-
BILE here. Indeed so vast are these great aisles
! in the length and breadth OF the edifce, and SO
! liberal n provision IL made on sundays and hol-
| lduys for the hearing OF mass, that while the
transept and the spaces adjoining tho choir and
high altar are filed with u great multitude of
worshippers joining III the solemn mass YOU
will see in the lower portion Of the cathedral n
| thousand or more persons following the low
masses which succeed each other ut the side
door In the, northwestern corner into the
Urren OF Of the s@FSr9 ween s the
cathedral, you will lind it crowded from A. NJ
til long after noon witt, people who come to
properly the Chapel Of the blessed Sacrament.
situated outside the quadrangle. 1t Il eos
is Jos t9e.t high from the floor 70 the
in keeping with the uniform magnfcence of
! the entire cathedral pile. Nor are these great
! magnihcence, which have been erected outside
the quadrangle of the cathedral Eroper There
| lSala Capitularl, both architectural master
pieces Of the platGreslne A. and Greeo;
! executed by Gainsa: the former 70 feet long
40 wide, and 100 high; the litter an oval,
Chapter House is an exquisite gem gem of the he
| nurp classical style with one Of Murilos won
dssriui conReeptions and light oval pictures
| hand, while beneath them are sixteen most
beautiful -reliefs on Carrara marble. exc
entire ornamentation Of this beautiful hall
We're executed under the direction Of Canon
painter and poet OF that name.
Remark the chair OF honor placed at the end
the rs seville S
! sided at the meetings of the chapter; When
over they have claimed the right to do so. the
| canons have stoutly resisted invoking the priv
| ileges OF their charter. IL is only on certain
s sol. and for COMPLIMENTARY purposes,
House, and fills the chair Of honor.
The canons are Jealous of their liberty a lib
and so DISTINGUISHED that the glorious Metro
! politan Church, with the building; that cluster
! pearl. have been the creations of their free and
unbounded generosity.
On leaving the Chapter House you may pause
! to admire its antcroom, itself worthy to serve
/ rs u meeting hall to the noblest chapter in
Spain. Here also the painter and the sculptor
have lovingly labored to produce some OF their
But; like the Cathedral Of Milan, begun al
| latter one great and fertile nursery Of all the
! arts These were born in the sanctuary:
iyet maturity within the Shadow Of the - altar tar
| Alas and with the ruin Of altar; sanctuary. and
! coaster. is intimately connected the decadence.
have mentioned the Great Sacristy with the
Sala Capitular: n is, with the Royal Chapel. n
masterpiece OF the rich renaissance or platter
cslue style. So within this one cathedral the
architectural student can find united beautiful
remnants OF the Almohade Saracenic with the
| noblcst models Of the late fourteenth century
| Gothic; the most eNquslte gems Of the Grrco-
/ Roman side by side with the richest rrnais-
sancc works. Ut the marvellous stained glass
/ windows must not attempt TO speak. II would
require a volume to explain their beauties.
~ architectural
rims o an" W so Sv Ee to the tn. tr .
which 1t contains, the tenebraio. the great sill
Yer custodia the boarded wealth Of gold and
silver plate. masterworks OF the designer and
| goldsmith every one of them. and many also
covered with precious stones: and then the
| embroidered vestments OF medieval brocade
| of ancient cloth OF gold and silver, covered
| with numberless designs so lifeike. so cx-
/ uuisitcly inwrought by the hands of these nuns
Of the olden time-who could speak worthily?
In giving rs sat isiactory sketch Of this great
treasure house OF art "a can crowd into n sim
Ele letter | wish to call the attention Of all
vaulting. which the dis tingushed architect and
engineer bon hdulfo Fernandez Casanova. is
now hgpply busted in repairing. BY exciting
forming. The SUN will 10 for Spanish architcr-
turr what the London Times did for 81. Marks
/ Venice, by publishing John Ru-kns letters
/ the Venetian architects. There l. this differ
/ cnco. however thut Scnor Casanova il doing
I with conscientious care every detail Of the "N-
| uuisito French German tracrry OF the ceiling
very portion 2f III" crulnhinG window null
lions and endangered pillars. He has most
kindly copied for my use the memoir submitted
by him last December To the Spanish Govern
inent on the vaulting Of the cathedral. And
across the sea in the columns Of a great New
York journal will greatly comfort and "ncour-
age him. BERNARD O'REIILY.