La Laguna Cathedral

Cathedral of San Cristóbal de La Laguna Catedral de San Cristóbal de La Laguna Template:Es icon
Location	San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife
Country	Spain
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Architecture
Style	Neoclassical, Neogothic, Renaissance
Groundbreaking	1904
Completed	1915

The Cathedral of San Cristóbal de La Laguna or Catedral de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (Santa Iglesia Catedral de San Cristóbal de La Laguna in Spanish) is a Catholic cathedral in Tenerife, Spain. Begun in 1904 and completed in 1915, it is dedicated to the Virgin of Los Remedios (patron of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna). This is one of the most important temples of the Canary Islands.

Located in the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain). In this temple lie the remains of Alonso Fernandez de Lugo, conqueror of the island and founder of the city. The cathedral is located in the historic center of the city of La Laguna, declared World Heritage Site in 1999 by UNESCO. Styles of the cathedral: Neoclassical, Neo-Gothic and Renaissance. The most representative elements of the Cathedral of La Laguna are neoclassical facade, which is inspired by the Cathedral of Pamplona and the dome, which stands out greatly in the city landscape.

History

Primitive temples

In 1511 on the site of the current building (Plaza de Fray Albino) a hermitage was built. There are indications that there was a Guanche necropolis. This primitive chapel was originally dedicated to the Virgin Mary in her Expectation Childbirth whose feast is celebrated every December 18.

The chapel was replaced in 1515 with a major construction dedicated to the Virgin of Los Remedios of Mudejar style, with a tower added in 1618. It was the April 21, 1515, when it rises to this temple to the dignity of parish with the name "Santa Maria de los Remedios". Remembering celebrate his feast day of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, that is, on 8 September.

That same year, the Portuguese mason Miguel Alonso, built the main chapel, the main arch, the altar, the stands, the Tabernacle, the door of the sacristy and start bows church body, all of stone, with expression measures of length, breadth and height that should have the new building, and the point where should tie in with the old chapel.

In 1752 a new cruise was made and the main chapel vestries widened and spacious dressing rooms for the image of the patron saint, the Virgen de los Remedios. Don Domingo de la Guerra, who directed the play and was later Marqués de San Andrés, extended both staking the main chapel, because I was hoping that one day the temple was Cathedral of Tenerife.

Cathedral

Since 1515, when the old chapel was converted into a parish there were attempts it was designated cathedral, collegiate or auxiliary Cathedral dependent on the Cathedral of Santa Ana of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, with some of the members of the Canary Cathedral Chapter residing in the Church of Los Remedios. These initial applications not obtained favorable opinion by the Cortes.

In 1783, at the height of the Enlightenment of the city of La Laguna was home in Canaries of this movement, he turned to ask the erection of a diocese in the city located in Los Remedios, who was taken with great suspicion by Member of the Cathedral Chapter and Bishop de Gran Canaria then, preventing it ecclesiastical institutions of this island.

Finally, on February 1, 1818 a papal bull approved the division of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Canarias in two dioceses. The temple became a cathedral in 1819 by bull of Pope Pius VII, when the new diocese of La Laguna was created.

In the era during which the building was constructed and dedicated as cathedral, the capital of the island was the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna; the diocesan headquarters still remain in that city. This is the reason that the cathedral was built there and not in the current capital of the island (Santa Cruz de Tenerife). On October 5, 1983, the Cathedral of La Laguna was declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument in Spain.

The cathedral is also a parish and a Marian shrine, as the Virgin of Los Remedios is the patron saint of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna. At present it is expected that this temple is declared minor basilica by the Holy See in the near future.

Interior of the cathedral.

Restoration 2002 - 2014

The cathedral was closed to worship in 2002 to perform a meticulous restoration process, agreeing to reopen for a few years later. However due to bureaucratic disagreements, the cathedral was closed more than a decade. During the pre-restoration study found that the main dome and vaults were so damaged that the only plausible solution was the demolition of these elements and their subsequent reconstruction. The new vaults and domes were built with a new material, polypropylene fibers. For this reason the cathedral became the first in the world to use this material. Finally, reopened its doors on 25 January 2014, will be reopened to worship on 31 January of that year.

During the remodeling which was also subjected the Cathedral Square in 2014, archaeological remains were discovered in the basement. Appeared some rubble presumed that might belong to the ancient Church of Los Remedios or structures from the first European settlement in the city.

Architecture

The front, neoclassic, dates back to 1825; the current structure of cathedral was constructed between 1904 and 1915 and is of Neo-Gothic style. The cathedral has three wide aisles and an ambulatory (unique in the Canary Islands) which surrounds the chancel, or altar. These elements give the interior of the cathedral a typical medieval European feel in contrast with the colonial style of the exterior.

Stresses in the cathedral its large dome is topped by a large concrete cross. It has 41.5 meters in height, which makes it the highest point around the historic town. Current domes are topped by small lanterns that let in natural light. The vaults is covered with copper plates, imitating the cathedrals of central and northern Europe.

Artworks

Inside there is a notable pulpit of Carrara's Italian marble carved by Pasquale Bocciardo which departs from the set of Mazuelos's Altarpiece. In addition there are valuable works by Cristóbal Hernández de Quintana, Luján Perez and Fernando Estévez.

Also stresses inside the cathedral, the image of Christ of Los Remedios. This is an image considered "twin" of Cristo de La Laguna. This image is placed on the marble tabernacle of the main altar. The image dates from the sixteenth century and is anonymous. The temple also houses a large canvas with the theme "The Souls of Purgatory", the painter Cristóbal Hernández de Quintana; and a painting of the Last Supper, the work of Juan de Miranda.

Gallery

• 
  Altarpiece baroque of the Virgin of the Remedies.
• 
  Tomb of Alonso Fernández de Lugo, conqueror of the island and city founder.
• 
  Dome of the Cathedral.
• 
  Marble pulpit, designed by Pasquale Bocciardo.
• 
  Tabernacle of the main altar.

See also

• Roman Catholic Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna
• Real Santuario del Santísimo Cristo de La Laguna
• Basilica of Candelaria
• San Cristóbal de La Laguna