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The interior: a universe of art
and spirituality
Stepping through the cathedral doors is like entering ano-
ther time. The breadth of the three naves is striking in
its scale, with ribbed vaults, pointed arches and the soft
harmony of light filtering through the clerestory.
One of the most impressive features of the church is its
High Altarpiece, a monumental work begun in 1511 and
completed in 1531. It was commissioned from the Flemi-
sh sculptor Giralte de Bruselas, in collaboration with the
Castilian artist Juan de Balmaseda, and is considered the
second most important altarpiece in Spain—surpassed
only by that of Seville Cathedral, and followed by the one
in Toledo Cathedral.
The structure is made of chestnut and oak wood, while
the figures are carved in walnut and polychromed. The
altarpiece (read from left to right) is laid out in vertical pa-
nels and tiers, with the central panel rising through three
levels (Crucifixion, Coronation of the Virgin and Christ the
Saviour). It depicts scenes from the life of Christ—bearing
in mind that most of the faithful were illiterate at the time,
these altarpieces served a primarily didactic purpose.
Its style combines the Gothic taste for detail with the ba-
lance and monumentality of the Renaissance, offering a
richly iconographic and exceptionally sculpted ensemble.
Main altar and Altarpiece
HISTORY, ART AND CULTURE
Entrance portico to the Cathedral
Along the ambulatory and side walls are
chapels from various periods, some ador-
ned with Baroque decoration, others with
Renaissance touches. Especially beautiful
is the Chapel of Saint Eulalia, patroness
of the Archdiocese, which also has its own
sacristy. This chapel was immortalised in
Clarín’s La Regenta, under the name of the
Chapel of Saint Clementina.
One of the most distinctive spaces is the
Chapel of the Chaste King, where several
Asturian monarchs are buried.
The ensemble is completed by the Gothic
cloister—both austere and elegant—and
the chapter house, where the cathedral
chapter has met for centuries beneath an
octagonal vaulted ceiling.
But no corner holds as much symbolic and
spiritual weight as the Holy Chamber. Here
are kept the Holy Shroud, the crosses of the
Asturian kings and the Holy Ark, venerated
for over a thousand years. Due to its histo-
rical value and profound significance, the
chamber was designated a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, together with other examples
of Asturian pre-Romanesque architecture.
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