The Cathedral of Murcia

I'd been in Murcia for 6 months and I still hadn't been inside the cathedral that is Murcia's main city attraction. If you know me, you would realise how remarkable that is. I am a lover of cathedrals. The architecture and history of these majestic buildings enthrall me in every which way possible.

I am by no means religious though. Don't get me wrong; to each their own and all that but for me it just doesn't sit well with who I am and what I believe in. I digress. Cathedrals. So after wandering the city centre this past Saturday; meandering through the streets during the siesta, I decided to enter its big, grand doors and see what I had been missing.

The facade of the cathedral

La Iglesia Catedral de Santa Maria en Murcia; the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary, is the heart of the city centre. Let me first explain that the cathedral can be seen from nearly any point in the city. Murcia is by no means a big town so this isn't really a difficult feat but it is still impressive nonetheless. It is the most important monument building this southern city has to offer.

The cathedral was created  in 1394 and was built on top of a Moorish mosque. This is quite intriguing as the Christian king at the time had made a pact previously with the Muslims, stating that no mosques would be destroyed.

Anywhere you walk in
the city centre, the bell tower
can be seen.

I first entered through the museum which is a part of the cathedral. It is built on the Muslim remains. It preserves the remnants of medieval paintings and a collection of gold and silver artifacts such as beautifully detailed chalices. I found the history of each piece on display interesting and enjoyed absorbing all the facts.



After walking through the museum, I made my way inside the church. It was icy cold inside and I didn't feel that instant gratification of peace and serenity that I so hungrily look for when I enter buildings such as this one. I didn't stay long and soon enough exited the front of the church, onto the main square. I took a closer look at the facade of the building. It really is an  amazing piece of art by any standards.

The church continued to grow until the 18th century and is a beautiful mix of artistic styles. It is a brilliant summary of the architectural styles of more than 5 centuries. Its facade is Baroque with a Gothic interior.

The Bell Tower

The heart and entrails of the king Alfonso the Wise are buried under the main altar. He left them, he said in a testament, as a gift and proof of his love of Murcia and in thanks to the fidelity that the city showed him. To be honest, I don't know much about Spanish history and its kings but any king that thought it worthwhile to bury his heart in this little city is alright by me.












I came across this short video that allows you to take a look at the cathedral through the means of a summary of a new virtual tour. Take a look and see just how beautiful the heart of Murcia really is. Thanks to Romereports.com for allowing me to share this with you.