Cathedral of Murcia

The narrow Calle Arenal, with shields and pigeons, takes us into the Plaza de Belluga, where our most highly-prized historical building stands: the Cathedral.

Bishop Pedrosa laid the foundation stone in 1388: then no-one could imagine that the work would take four centuries to finish, a long period which explains, the widely differing styles of architecture to be found in it.

It has 23 chapels each with its own artistic conception, from that of te Marqués de los Vélez, with its lacey stonework typical of the most ornate Gothic style, (1507) to the Junterones chapels (1525), one of the most original of all Spanish also belongs to the period, inspired by that of San Lorenzo by Brunelleschi.

The altarpiece of the capilla del Socorro, the choir stalls, dating from the 15th century, the wood carving of Saint Jerome by Salzillo are among its other treasures.

With the tower the renaissance came to Murcia. It took the place of another, less impresive tower which in its turn replaced the minarete of the mosque. The first stage of the present tower was built by the Florentín brothers between 1521 an 1525. the second stage with its rich Ionic capitals, garlands and statues of the saints in their niches, was finished in 1645, while a further 120 were to pass by before the third stage was commenced: the lantern which crowns the octagonal roof its 92 metres above the ground.

However, the most beautiful and admired jewel of the whole collection is the West Front (1736-1754), a lovely stone façade, work of the sculptor and architect Jaime Bort. Murian masons, painters, gilders and joiners of Spain’s Golden Age worked together on a project which has been catalogued as a work of art of international barroque.