Vitoria Cathedral

Located on the highest part of the hill on which the primitive village of Gasteiz was based, which gave rise to the current city, the cathedral of Vitoria is a Gothic-style temple that was part of the medieval wall, according to the remains found.

It is known as the Old Cathedral to distinguish it from the New Cathedral, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of Mary and built in the XNUMXth century in the Neo-Gothic style.

Origin of the cathedral of Vitoria

Vitoria was founded in 1181 on the village of Gasteiz as part of the defense line of the kingdom of Navarra with that of Castile by order of the monarch Sancho VI.

Around the year 1.200, King Alfonso VIII of Castile took the square and after the fire that devastated the city two years later, he undertook the task of rebuilding it and expanding it to the west. In this way, and in order to serve as a walled defensive perimeter for the city, the church of Santa María was born.

The temple had to fulfill the double function of serving the defense of Vitoria and of having the rank according to the city that was being created.

The location of the Vitoria cathedral coincides with the old church that was there, of which the apse was used. To maintain the religious service to the faithful, while the new construction is being built, a provisional temple was erected.

The temple built at the beginning of the 20th century is almost entirely preserved in some sections, such as the northern part of the transept, with thick walls and a height of almost XNUMX meters.

The construction of the cathedral interfered with the wall in such a way that it forced the main access door to be pulled down, which had to be relocated next to the new construction. The new door, which lasted until the XNUMXth century, was again demolished when the portico that protects the main entrance to the cathedral is built.

During the XNUMXth century, the chapels of San Roque, San Marcos, de los Reyes, San Bartolomé, San Juan, de la Inmaculada Concepción, Altar del Cristo, San José, San Prudencio, de la Piedad, the tower, the choir were built. and graves such as those of the Ortiz de Caicedo or Don Cristóbal Martínez de Alegría.

Temple layout

The XIII century cathedral of Vitoria has a Latin cross plan, with three naves covered with ribbed vaults. During the reign of Alfonso X, the interior of the time is modified according to the Gothic style from France.

The interior has four rectangular chapels and an ambulatory to which three other polygonal chapels open. It also includes a set of buildings built in different historical periods such as a clerestory and a XNUMXth century portico that has been polychrome on several occasions. The bell tower of the octagonal tower is dated between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries and offers visitors unique panoramic views of Vitoria.

The oldest building in the complex and the main one is the church of Santa María.

Restoration of the cathedral

The beautification process of the late XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries is largely responsible for the structural problems that the temple presented, which worsened in the mid-XNUMXth century with a failed restoration.

At the end of the XNUMXth century, experts studied its condition and concluded that the cathedral of Vitoria suffered a slow process of ruin and risk for the safety of the faithful. Therefore, the temple was closed to undertake a total rehabilitation that lasts until today.

Open for works

The visit to the Vitoria Cathedral is possible through the guided visits carried out within the "Open for works" tour, an initiative in which surrounded by security measures and wearing a helmet, they can contemplate the works in progress and participate in a different experience.

The visits are characterized by the personalized attention given by the guides in the historical explanation of the origin of the cathedral, the description of the problems it has and the restorative solutions that are being applied.

The itinerary allows you to visit the foundation area, the tower, the wall, the clerestory and appreciate the restoration of the portico of the Cathedral.

Types of visits

Two types of visits can be made: Cathedral and Cathedral + Tower, each lasting 60 minutes and 75 minutes.

To visit the cathedral of Vitoria, a prior reservation is necessary, which can be closed by calling 945 255 135.

Price of admission

• Visit to the cathedral of Vitoria and the tower: 10,5 euros.
• Visit to the cathedral: 8,5 euros.
• Visit to the cathedral and the wall: 10 euros.