The Cathedral of Maracaibo It is located in Plaza Bolívar in the city of Maracaibo (Venezuela, Zulia state). The official name of this construction is Santa Iglesia Metropolitan Cathedral of the Blessed Apostles San Pedro and San Pablo.
This building was completed in the seventeenth century. However, the work for the creation of the church began in the sixteenth century, when the first walls were erected. On the other hand, it was named"cathedral"in the 19th century, by Pope Leo XIII.
Cathedral of Maracaibo
Nowadays, the Cathedral of Maracaibo is central for the parishioners of the state and the country, since it houses images of religious importance, such as the one of Our Lady of the Carmen, the one of the Black Christ and the one of San Sebastián.
History
The history of the Cathedral of Maracaibo begins in the late sixteenth century, when the first walls of this church were erected.
At the beginning of the seventeenth century, a large part of the construction was completed, which was dedicated to the apostles San Pedro and San Pablo.
In the middle of the 16th century, the construction of the three naves and the towers of the cathedral was completed. In 1818, it was transformed into the cathedral of the Diocese of Mérida de Maracaibo.
However, in 1821 the title was removed and he was granted the Parochial Mayor of Maracaibo. In 1897, Pope Leo XIII restored the status of a cathedral.
characteristics
The main facade of the cathedral has three double-leaf wooden doors. These doors are delimited by arches and columns of Tuscan order.
Above the central door, there is a circular stained glass window of various colors, called a rosette. This element shows the Baroque influence.
The cathedral has a tower in which there is a bell tower. This tower is square based and has two floors. On the first floor, which is the largest, is the access door.
On the second floor, you can see a clock, a balcony and a window. It is on this floor where the bell tower of the church is located.
The inner part of the cathedral has three naves and a side chapel, in honor of Nuestra Señora del Carmen. In the central nave, there are four piles with holy water and the presbytery.
The walls of this ship are made of stone, while the roof is made of wood. On the other hand, the floor is of red mosaic, except in the zone that marks the limit between the central ship and the lateral ones (where the ground is of white marble).
The aisles are smaller than the central nave, but they have the same characteristics in terms of structure. The most relevant element in these ships are metal lamps that hang from the ceiling and have ornamental stained glass.
On the left nave, there is the image of San Sebastián, a carved figurative that dates from the 19th century. On this ship, you can also see the altar of the Black Christ, dating from the seventeenth century.
References
- Cathedral of San Pedro and San Pablo, Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela. Retrieved on November 27, 2017, from gcatholic.org
- Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. Retrieved on November 27, 2017, from wikipedia.org
- Maracaibo Retrieved on November 27, 2017, from venezuelatuya.com
- St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral, Maracaibo. Retrieved on November 27, 2017, from revolvy.co
- St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral, Maracaibo. Retrieved on November 27, 2017, from wikivisually.com
- St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral, Maracaibo. Retrieved on November 27, 2017, from wikipedia.org
- St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral, Maracaibo. Retrieved on November 27, 2017, from wikidata.org