The Cathedral of Maracaibo is located in Plaza Bolívar in the city of Maracaibo (Venezuela, Zulia state). The official name of this construction is Holy Metropolitan Cathedral Church of the Blessed Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
This building was completed in the 17th century. However, the work to create the church began in the 16th century, when the first walls were erected. On the other hand, it was named "cathedral" in the 19th century, by Pope Leo XIII.
Maracaibo Cathedral
Today, the Cathedral of Maracaibo is central for the parishioners of the state and the country, since it houses images of religious importance, such as that of Our Lady of Carmen, that of the Black Christ and that of San Sebastián.
History
The history of the Cathedral of Maracaibo begins at the end of the 16th century, when the first walls of this church were erected.
At the beginning of the 17th century, a large part of the construction was completed, which was dedicated to the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
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 it was granted that of Iglesia Parroquial Mayor de Maracaibo. In 1897, Pope Leo XIII restored its status as a cathedral.
characteristics
The main facade of the cathedral has three double-leaf wooden doors. These doors are delimited by semicircular arches and columns of the Tuscan order.
Above the central door, there is a circular stained glass window of various colors, called a rose window. This element shows the baroque influence.
The cathedral has a tower with a bell tower. This tower has a square base 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 church bell tower is located.
The internal 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 fonts with holy water and the presbytery.
The walls of this nave are made of stone, while the ceiling is made of wood. For its part, the floor is made of red mosaic, except in the area that marks the limit between the central nave and the lateral ones (where the floor is made of white marble).
The lateral naves are smaller than the central nave, but 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 windows.
In the left nave, there is the image of San Sebastián, a carved figure dating from the 19th century. In this nave, 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