Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, Oaxaca
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption , located in the city of Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca
, Mexico, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Antequera, Oaxaca
. Its construction began in 1535 and it was consecrated on July 12, 1733. It is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption
.
was installed and the seat of the diocese was transferred to Our Lady of the Assumption. Due to earthquakes in the in the 16th and 18th centuries, the cathedral had to be reconstructed several times, with the most recent reconstruction beginning in 1702 and finishing in 1733.
stone commonly found in Oaxaca's buildings, and the interior is in Neoclassical
style. The altar features a statue of Our Lady of the Assumption (Nuestra Señora de al Asunción) which was made in Italy
during the Porfirio
era, who is represented by a bronze sculpture brought from Europe and made by Tadoini.
The towers of the cathedral are not the originals, as they were destroyed in 1931 by an earthquake. In the south there is a clock donated to Oaxaca by King Fernando VII. The Lord of Lightning is in the last chapel on the left, while the second on the right contains the remains of the Cross of Huatulco. Atop the west wall of the quire
is a locally built baroque pipe organ
, parts of which date to 1711-1712, restored in 1997.
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
, Mexico, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Antequera, Oaxaca
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Antequera, Oaxaca
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Antequera, Oaxaca is a Roman Catholic archdiocese based in the Mexican city of Oaxaca, Oaxaca. The cathedral church is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption....
. Its construction began in 1535 and it was consecrated on July 12, 1733. It is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
.
History
Construction began in 1535, during which the Temple of San Juan de Dios temporarily served as the cathedral church of the diocese. In 1640, the cathedraCathedra
A cathedra or bishop's throne is the chair or throne of a bishop. It is a symbol of the bishop's teaching authority in the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, and has in some sense remained such in the Anglican Communion and in Lutheran churches...
was installed and the seat of the diocese was transferred to Our Lady of the Assumption. Due to earthquakes in the in the 16th and 18th centuries, the cathedral had to be reconstructed several times, with the most recent reconstruction beginning in 1702 and finishing in 1733.
Structure
Its facade is made of green canteraCantera (stone)
Cantera is a quartz based volcanic stone used as a structural and decorative architectural element in some regions of Mexico where it is found.The stone's color may vary depending on the impurities present in the stone of a particular region...
stone commonly found in Oaxaca's buildings, and the interior is in Neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
style. The altar features a statue of Our Lady of the Assumption (Nuestra Señora de al Asunción) which was made in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
during the Porfirio
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
era, who is represented by a bronze sculpture brought from Europe and made by Tadoini.
The towers of the cathedral are not the originals, as they were destroyed in 1931 by an earthquake. In the south there is a clock donated to Oaxaca by King Fernando VII. The Lord of Lightning is in the last chapel on the left, while the second on the right contains the remains of the Cross of Huatulco. Atop the west wall of the quire
Quire (architecture)
Architecturally, the choir is the area of a church or cathedral, usually in the western part of the chancel between the nave and the sanctuary . The choir is occasionally located in the eastern part of the nave...
is a locally built baroque pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
, parts of which date to 1711-1712, restored in 1997.