The Cathedral of Avila, considered the first Gothic cathedral in Spain, was designed both as a religious temple and as a defensive fortress, with its robust apse integrated into the city walls. Its construction began in 1172 under the reign of Alfonso VIII, with the French master Fruchel in charge of the first works, which fuse the transitional Romanesque style with Gothic elements. The plan of the temple follows the Latin cross model, with three naves, transept and a semicircular chevet with double ambulatory, flanked by two square towers. Throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, the towers, the naves and the cloister were completed, while in the 15th century elements such as the western doorway, the work of Juan Guas, and the mechanical clock were added.
The interior of the cathedral houses some of the most important works of Spanish art. Highlights include the transept, by Juan Rodríguez and Lucas Giraldo, with its Plateresque bas-reliefs, and the sepulcher of El Tostado, sculpted by Vasco de la Zarza in the ambulatory, a key example of the Spanish Renaissance. The altarpiece of the main altar (1499-1512), the work of Pedro Berruguete and other artists, shows influences of the Italian Cuattrocento and the Flemish school. Declared a National Monument in 1914, the cathedral also houses the Altar of San Segundo and the Altar of Santa Catalina, both with detailed bas-reliefs that underscore the rich artistic and spiritual history of the temple.
- Address
Pl. de la Catedral, 8, Ávila - Web
https://catedralavila.es/cultural-visit/ - Visiting Hours
From Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00. Sunday from 12:30 to 18:00 - What to see
Berruguete’s major altarpiece