Jaén Cathedral

It was built on the ruins of the former mosque in times of Fernando III el Santo. It is a temple of slender proportions and with a great united style.

It is rectangular, with two adjacent buildings: the Templo del Sagrario (Temple of the Tabernacle) in the Northern façade and the Sacristy in the Southern façade. It has three naves that are separated by cross- shaped pillar columns and Corinthian entablatures above, with arches that support richly decorated “Vaídas vaults” (a special type of Gothic vault).

The temple is richly decorated with stone sculptures made by Pedro Roldán, Julián Roldán and Lucas González.

There are seventeen chapels with paintings and sculptures from the XVII and XVIII Centuries in the side naves. The choir is in the middle of the central nave and is a J. Gallego´ s work (XVIII Century), with a splendid eaves board and beautiful set of chairs. The part behind the choir, by the same artist, is very important and in its centre there is a beautiful “Sagrada Familia” (Sacred Family) by Salvador Maella.
The Holy Face is located in the major chapel in a very valuable reliquary made of golden and precious stones.

The Sacristy, situated between the sober and classic “Chapter House” and the “Changing room”, is a real Vandelvira´ s masterpiece.

The Museum of the Cathedral is located in its crypt.