The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-04-17
OLDEST CATHEDRAL
IN NEW WORL D
THE CATHEDRAL OF MEXICO WAS
BEGUN IN 1573-IT COST $4,000
000-BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF IT.

The Cathedral of Mexico, one Of the
oldest and grandest in the Republic,
stands on the site Of the Aztec temple
that was destroyed by Cortez. The Ca
thedral was begun in 1873, and was
carried on by more or less active peri
DDS for almost century before the
main building was completed. II was
more than another century later when
the immense corner towers were fin.
ished, in 1871, at cost of 100000 for
that portion of the structure alone
The whole cost was in the neighbor.
hood of $2,000000, but when the trib.
ute for such a gigantic undertaking is
collected, the reckoning of the sum
that in the course of centuries would
be put to a single purpose might easily
be difficult matter.
The facade of the Cathedral of Mex.
leo is very beautiful and impressive,
| but the first view of what should be
an imposing interior is disappointing.
First, because of the ugly wooden floor
that disfigures it, and second, because
of the cumbersome choir that stands
in the central nave, and is as large
and as high in itself as small church.
AS is the custom in all the old Spanish
churches, the choir is connected with
the pulpit by a raised passageWay,
| that prevents an immediate front view
of the pulpit. In many of the great
churches, Guadalupe, for instance, the
choir has been relegated to the rear Of
the pulpit, thereby vastly improving
the appearance of the main audi
forum. The massive railing about the
entrance to the choir and the statu-
cites along the passageway to the pull
composed of gold, silver and copper,
and were brought from China. There
are seven highly ornamented chapels
on each side; one is the tomb of the
liberator, Iturbide, and others contain
the remains of famous patriots and
statesmen.
The great church, exclusive Of the
very thick walls, is $40 feet long and
1T feet wide, an interior height Of
179 feet, and there are five naves and
six affairs, with magnificent dome
rising over the central arches.
There are always worshippers in
the Cathedral, and during large por-
ton of the time some service is being
performed by the priests. The great
doors are always open to visitors, and
the Cathedral is one Of the most in
teresting places in the capital city.
The towers, 203 feet 6 inches in
height, are in two divisions, the lower
Doric and the upper Ionic, each capped
by ball-shaped dome. The cornices,
not only of the towers, but elsewhere
also, are surmounted by balustrades of
carved stone, upon which, disposed at
regular intervals, are carved stone
vases. The cornices Immediately be-
meath the domes of the towers serve
as pedestals for colossal statues of the
doctors of the Church. Those of the
central portal, occupied by the clock,
are pedestals for statues of the The
illogical Virtues, with their attributes.
Beneath the clock are blazoned the
arms of the republic, a modern limo
walton that indicated at that time the
controlling attitude of the State toward
the Church. Above the whole. as seen
from the southern side of the plaza,
rises the dome surmounted by its slen-
der, graceful lantern.
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