- Address: Calle Rivadavia s / n, 1004 Buenos Aires
- Phone: +54 11 4343-6272, +54 11 4331-2845
- Opening hours: Mon-Fri 07: 30-18: 45, Sat-Sun 09: 00-19: 00
- Website: www.catedralbuenosaires.org.ar
- Years of construction: 1752-1852
- Discovery: 1791
- Architectural style: neoclassicism
- Buried by: Jose de San Martin, Santiago Luis Copelio
In the Argentine capital , in the San Nicolás area, not far from the May Square , there is a monumental building. Outwardly it is more like an opera house, but in fact it is the cathedral of Buenos Aires. It is interesting not only because it is the main Catholic church in the country. Many tourists come here to visit the tomb of General José Francisco de San Martín, who is the national hero of Argentina .
History of the cathedral of Buenos Aires
As in the case of other religious buildings, the cathedral of Buenos Aires has a long and intricate history. The beginning of the construction of the temple is closely connected with the name of the third bishop of the Argentine capital, Cristobal de la Mancha y Velasco.
The construction of the cathedral of Buenos Aires was carried out at the expense of donations and funds of the church, and it lasted from 1754 to 1862. During this time, several restorations and improvements were carried out. The last large-scale reconstruction was carried out in 1994-1999.
Architectural style
The cathedral of Buenos Aires is worth a visit in order to:
- admire the frescoes that adorn his vaults;
- appreciate the beauty and monumentality of the altar of 1785;
- listen to the sounds of a large organ;
- to visit the tomb of General San Martin;
- see the mausoleum of Archbishop Leon Federico Aneyros, the creation of which was worked by Victor de Paul;
- look at the sculpture of the XVII century, which depicts the crucified Christ.
Initially, for the cathedral of Buenos Aires, the shape of the Latin cross was chosen, within which were to be located three naves and six chapels. Later he was given a more standard form. The decoration of the facade is 12 columns of Corinthian order, which is symbolized by 12 apostles. There is also a picturesque bas-relief. It depicts a biblical scene in which Joseph meets in Egypt with his father Jacob and brothers.
The interior of the temple
The interior of the cathedral of Buenos Aires is also remarkable for its splendor. Its ornaments are:
- Frescoes in the Renaissance style. Above them worked an Italian painter Francesco Paolo Parisi. True, because of the high humidity many works of art were lost.
- Floors from the Venetian mosaic. Their design was developed in 1907 by the Italian Carlo Morro. The last time the mosaic was restored, when the head of the Roman Catholic Church was chosen as an Argentinian.
- The tombstone of the hero Jose Francisco de San Martin. The creation of this mausoleum worked French sculptor Belles. Around the tomb he installed the figures of three women. They are symbols of the countries that were liberated by the general - Argentina, Chile and Peru.
- Paintings with the image of the Procession. In the temple there are 14 paintings belonging to the hand of the Italian artist Francesco Domenigini.
- Sculptures on the tympanum, created by Duburdiou.
The services in the temple are held three times a day. Some come here to confess, others come to admire the majestic structure. In 1942, the cathedral of Buenos Aires was included in the list of national monuments of the country . It is definitely worth a visit during a trip to Argentina.
How to get to the cathedral of Buenos Aires?
The building of the temple is located on the Plaza de Mayo between the avenues of Bartolomé Miter and Rivadavia. You can reach it by metro or bus. In the first case, you need to go on branch D to the stop Catedral, which is located 100 meters from the cathedral. In the second case, you should take bus No. 7, 8, 22, 29 or 50 and get off at Avenida Rivadavia. It is located 200 m from the temple.
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
