Nomadic Texan Lifted by the Light

Kim and I took the Cuenca bus tour and were very glad we did. I suffered a major sunburn and looked like a tomato. Afterwards we decided to visit the Old Cathedral

The Cathedral is located on the Parque Calderon square directly across from the Nueva Cathedral in Cuenca. Construction began in 1567 and in 1999 the Cathedral was renovated. It serves as a museum today. Photos are okay, but no flash! We walked through the magnificent doors.

The Transept on the left as you enter, had a particularly interesting facet. There was some exploration in the crypt areas below the first and second floor. It was visible through the glass covering and one can only guess at the history these levels hold.

From this Transept you walk into the Nave area where one can view the altar. It now contains a life sized replica of Jesus and the Apostles at The Last Supper. I was blown away by the panorama had to take it all in. It was magnificent. The light coming through the windows of the altar was uplifting and made it an inspiring moment.

The artwork throughout the Iglesiais is gorgeous and intricate to examine. The statues of the stations of the cross are impressive in person and had to involve many hours of labor.

The Transept on the far side was made up of several rooms, containing many artifacts. They included a liturgical head covering, Chasuble and Stole from ancient services. They are under glass and beautiful to gaze upon.

One cannot take this tour without questioning what it was really like in Medieval times. It is very humbling to realize this Cathedral is almost 500 years old and more than likely 12 to 15 generations have celebrated mass in the Old Cathedral.

As I returned to the Nave and turned around, I had a view of the altar that was stirring. I noticed the organ above. It must have been a very audacious feeling when this organ was played. It is immense and I can only imagine the dramatic emphasis it added to the services.

As we were leaving Kim noticed that one of the support columns was leaning. We showed a guard and he commented that many were not straight. As we looked around we found several that looked unstable. A little scary and I hope they have it all under control.