The Cathedral of Jaca

External view of the Cathedral

The origin of the Cathedral we find in Jaca dates from the 11th century, during the reign of Sancho Ramírez, the time during which they designed its rectangular plan with three lined apses with three naves.

With the arrival of Alfonso I "el Batallador" (the fighter), a new building stage began which would finish around the middle of the 12th century.

The third stage, which began around the middle of the 15th century ended with the construction of the new chapels, the choir stalls and the repair of the roof.

In the 16th century, at a time of flourishing commerce and the heyday of the local bourgeoisie, the Cathedral of Jaca gained a renewed splendor as the old Romanesque cathedral was turned into a wonderful building where Renaissance ornamentation finally succeeded. This period ended in the 17th century, with its expansion over the old chapter cemetery.

THE INSIDE OF THE CATHEDRAL

1. Retable of St. Ana. Retable from the Gothic-Renassance period (dating from 1521)
   
   
2. Retable of the Anunciación (Annunciation), 16th century, apparently by Gabriel Joly. Next to it we can find the Cristo de la Salud (Christ of health), carved in Madrid and donated to the cathedral at the end of the last century by Victoriano Biscós, a priest from Jaca.
   
   

3. The Cathedral of Jaca

   Retable of the Virgen de los Dolores (Lady of Sorrows) (canvas)
   
   
4. Chapel of St Sebastian, facade from the flowery Gothic style.
   
   
5. Chapel of St Miguel. Plateresque facade by the artist from Florence Juan de Moreto (1523) with imagery done by Juan de Salas. The great Plateresque retable in the inside is the work of Gabriel Joly and Gil Morlanes "el Mozo" (the young one).
   
   
6. Apse of the Epistle, Image of the Virgin of el Pilar. Romanesque railing with spiral ornamentation.
   
   
7. Central apse, expanded in 1790, decorated with paintings by the Carthusian monk Manuel Bayeu. In 1919 the choir stall and the organ were shifted.
   Under the altar table there are the silver urns containing: The remainders of St Orosia, the protector of the city and of the Diocese (inside the largest urn), the remainders of St Indalecio, one of the disciples of St James (inside the golden silver one), and the last one with the remainders of the founders of the monastery of San Juan de la Peña, St Félix and St Voto.
   
   
8. Apse of the Gospel. Chapel of St Jeronimo. Renaissance retable dating from 1573. Romanesque railing with spirals.

   Detail




9. Plateresque sepulchremade in alabaster for the bishop of Alger (Cerdaña) by the artist from Jaca Pedro Baquer, who died in 1573.
   
   
10. Chapel of the Holy Christ
    
    
11. Chapel of St. Austin
    
    
12. Chapel of the Holy Trinity. Renaissance facade. A breathtaking and spectacular stone retable completed by Juan de Ancheta in 1575. The Eternal Father is a replica of Michael Angelo's Moses.
    In the Parish, Baroque retable from the 18th century devoted to St. Orosia. The paintings in the pictures and on the vault depict scenes of the martyrdom and miracles accomplished by our protector.
    
    

Free entrance
from 11.00 to 13.00h and 16.00 to 20.00