Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral / Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires (Argentina)
S 34° 36.472 W 058° 22.391
21H E 374095 N 6169584
The Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires), located in the city center in Plaza de Mayo, is the main Catholic church in Argentinian capital Buenos Aires.
Waymark Code: WMN018
Location: Argentina
Date Posted: 11/30/2014
Views: 3
The Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires), located in the city center in Plaza de Mayo, is the main Catholic church in Argentinian capital Buenos Aires.
The Cathedral of Buenos Aires is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires. The Cathedral was rebuilt several times since its humble origins in the end of the 16th century. The present building is a mix of architectural styles, with an 18th-century nave and dome and a severe, 19th-century Neoclassical façade without towers. The interior keeps precious 18th-century statues and altarpieces, as well as abundant Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Baroque decoration.
The distictive Cathedral' front façade consists of a tall portico, inspired by Classical architecture, with twelve columns and a triangular pediment on top. The portico lends the building the appearance of an ancient temple rather than a Catholic church. The decoration of the facade was only finished between 1860-1863, when French sculptor Joseph Dubourdieu created the reliefs of the pediment. The scene represents the reunion of Joseph with his brothers and father Jacob in Egypt, and was intended as an allegory of the unity of the Argentine nation after several fraticide wars. Dubourdieu also completed the Corinthian capitals of the columns of the portico.
[excerpted from WIkipedia]