Cuenca Cathedral

Cuenca Cathedral Catedral de Santa María y San Julián de Cuenca
Façade of the cathedral
Basic information
Location	Cuenca, Spain
Affiliation	Catholic Church
Architectural type	Church
Architectural style	Gothic

The seven-sided polygonal apse

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. The facade was rebuilt by Vicente Lampérez in the early twentieth century.

Inside

Side view

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

Hidden Mysteries at the Cathedral of Cuenca

Legend says that this will be the only stronghold Cathedral for the Salvation of the desperate end of the day predicted by Nostradamus in his "centuries". So it tells Rodrigo de Luz, scholar and architect linked to Cuenca Cathedral.

Rodrigo de Luz says that within this temple was saved and preserved the Holy Grail, which is why the Cathedral of Cuenca, in the final cataclysm will not be destroyed and all those who take refuge within its ancient walls. From reading the books of Revelation and the Centuries of Nostradamus, the researcher conclude that the two texts refer to the temple that at the end of the times will receive their salvation.

Stressing the similarities of Cuenca and the New Jerusalem of the books of Revelation, the New Jerusalem will have a pass of salvation, "with 12 gates; in the 12 doors, 12 angels".

The Cathedral of Cuenca fits in this comparison, 12 gates in shape of bows, each of which has 12 angels, just as indicated in the book of Revelation, as a curiosity, the 12 stone angels were sculpted with a serious face and her hands hold a book, all but one, who is smiling happily and holding in his hands a Cup, thinking that this shows part of the legend of the Holy Grail hidden and the Mystery of the Cathedral of Cuenca, where some speculate that this secretly hidden the Holy Grail.

There's more hidden messages in the Cathedral and City of Cuenca and is the Mystery of the shield of arms of the city of Cuenca, is a shield of great simplicity, interestingly the shield contains a cup, and the cup, featured a 8 pointed star, symbol of the Templars.

See also

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Cuenca

External links

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