Cuenca Cathedral

Façade of the cathedral.

Cuenca Cathedral is a Gothic cathedral in the city of Cuenca in Cuenca Province in the Castile-La Mancha region of south-eastern central Spain. Exceptional expression of Gothic Anglo-Norman, begun in 1196. The wife of King Alfonso VIII, Eleanor Plantagenet of England, daughter of King Henry II Plantagenet of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine, Duchess of Aquitaine, Sister of Richard the Lionheart, who inspired this cathedral. The influence of the Norman court of King Alfonso VIII, defined the construction of this cathedral, the first Gothic cathedral of Castile, together with that of Avila. Work began in the year 1196 and was completed in 1257.

It has a Latin cross plan (that is, the arm of the cross reaching from the main entrance to the altar is considerably longer than the other arms) and a seven-sided polygonal apse.^[1] The facade was rebuilt by Vicente Lampérez in the early twentieth century.

Side view.

The cathedral is officially the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Gracia ("Basilica of Our Lady of Grace").^[1] Unlike many other cathedrals in Spain, photography is not normally allowed in the interior.

See also

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Cuenca

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Gracia - Nuestra Señora de Gracia Cathedral, www.spain.info.

External links

• Photoset on Flickr, includes seven pictures of the cathedral interior

• Photos

Coordinates: 40°04′43″N 2°07′44″W / 40.07849°N -2.12901°E / 40.07849; -2.12901