- Address: Plaza de Armas, Santiago, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile;
- Official page: iglesiadesantiago.cl;
- Phone: +56 2 2787 5600;
- The construction is completed: in 1800.
One of the main Chilean Catholic churches is the Cathedral of Santiago, which is located in the heart of the capital. The stream of pilgrims is not reduced from the moment of its construction. Annually thousands of tourists come to see the church, and the history of the city itself is also interesting. An impressive structure is an architectural ensemble, which includes the Archbishop's Palace and the temple itself.
Cathedral - description
The cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was awarded the title of national monument, which was conferred on him in 1951. A distinctive feature of the temple is that it is dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin.
The Church of Santiago de Compostela has its own history of appearance, which is as follows. In its place there was not one building, the one that was erected now, is the fifth in a row. Previous buildings suffered a sad fate: they were destroyed by earthquakes or fires.
The new building began to be built in 1748 under the leadership of the famous Butler architect Mathias Vasquez Akuna. The main concept that was chosen during the construction was to build a reliable temple, which will be resistant to earthquakes. As a result of the painstaking work of the masters, a church appeared that had a facade in neoclassical style. In 1846 the main building was decided to be completed with a chapel, the merit in the creation of which belongs to the architect Eusebio Celly.
At the end of the XIX century, at the initiative of Archbishop Mariano Casanova, the Cathedral of St. James of Santiago de Compostela underwent a series of changes, over which the architect Ignacio Cremones worked:
- Design is a combination of Tuscan and Roman styles;
- The roof has a cylindrical shape and is supported by special supports;
- in front of the altar, expanded the space for believers, and this part was complemented by choirs. The altar itself was made in 1912 in Munich, as materials used white marble and bronze;
- the church was decorated with the richest decorative elements: valuable icons, stucco molding, gilding, frescoes;
- the temple passes look like real architectural masterpieces: they look like small domes, but are separated from each other by arches;
- An imposing sight is an organ for the production of which mahogany was used;
- Instead of one tower, two were made, which divided the facade at its top. Crowned by their sculptures of St. John, the Virgin Mary and St. Roch.
Another reconstruction of the cathedral was carried out in 2005, when a small chapel and a new crypt were erected. In 2010 the building was again destroyed. The Chilean government responded to this and began the restoration in 2014.
Value for future generations
For tourists, the church of Santiago de Compostonel is the starting point for acquaintance with the city itself, and for the pilgrims it is the final destination in the long journey to Santiago . All tourists celebrate the powerful energy that comes from the building. The greatest religious value of the temple is due to the fact that here are the remains of all the bishops and archbishops of Santiago.
How to get to the Cathedral?
The cathedral is very easy to find, it is located in the center of Santiago, landmark objects such as Plaza de Armas and Plaza Mayor serve.