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The Gothic Cathedral: Main Altarpiece, Choir, Side Chapels and Doorways
High Altarpiece
It presides overthe presbytery of the Main Chapel, which is located in the central nave, occupying the most solemn section of the enclosure where the main naves of the Cathedral cross.
It is considered the largest in Christendom and one of the most spectacular polychrome wooden structures of its time. It is a work carried out in successive phases over almost a century, beginning with traces of the Flemish sculptor Pieter Dancart, who in 1482 got an altarpiece of almost 30 meters high by almost 20 meters wide, with four bodies of height plus a bank, horizontally and seven lanes.
In 1497 another master, also of Flemish origin, appeared at the head of the work and worked on it until 1505. From this moment on, the intervention of the sculptor Pedro Millán is recorded, who in turn was replaced by Jorge Fernández Alemán, who was assisted by his brother Alejo, both of whom were in charge of the work until 1529, the year in which the first construction phase of the altarpiece was completed. A second phase began in 1550, when the Cabildo decided to add two side streets at right angles to the main front. Roque Balduque, Juan Bautista Vázquez and Pedro de Heredia took part in these works, and the whole complex was completed in 1564.
The altarpiece has a set of forty-four reliefs and more than two hundred figures of saints that are arranged on the pilasters that articulate the altarpiece. Over the wide and cantilevered canopy, configured by octagonal coffers, there is a beam in the center of which is a piety flanked by an apostolate, the work of Jorge Fernandez; crowning the whole is a monumental Gothic Calvary from the 14th century, preserved from before and which was decided to crown the entire altarpiece.
The crucifix that presides over the Calvary traditionally receives the name of Christ of the Million, for the million graces granted to the people of Seville in times of epidemics. The reliefs of the bank of the altarpiece are the old ones of the same and represent three scenes of martyrdoms of saints; there are also views of Seville and the Cathedral. In its center, there is a magnificent Gothic sculpture of the Virgin of the See.
In the first body of the altarpiece appears from right to left, the embrace of St. Joachim and St. Anne, the birth of the Virgin, the Annunciation, the birth of Christ, the slaughter of the innocents, the Circumcision and the adoration of the Kings. The second body includes the Presentation of the Child in the Temple, the Baptism of Christ, the Resurrection of Lazarus, the Assumption of the Virgin, the entry of Christ into Jerusalem, the Holy Supper and the Prayer in the Garden. In the third body, the arrest of Christ, the scourging, the crowning of thorns, the Resurrection, Ecce Homo, the road to Calvary and the Expiation. In the fourth body, the burial of Christ, the Marys at the tomb, the Magdalene at the feet of the Resurrected Christ, the Ascension, Christ’s descent into Limbo, the supper at Emmaus and the coming of the Holy Spirit. On the sides of the altarpiece and from bottom to top, on the left are the representations of the creation of Eve, the flight into Egypt, Christ among the Doctors, the Transfiguration and the Magdalene anointing Christ’s feet. On the right are the Original Sin, the Last Judgment, the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, the expulsion of the Merchants from the Temple and the conversion of St. Paul. On the pillars that frame the entire altarpiece there are eight reliefs representing the Kings of Israel and Judah. With all this information we finish the review of the great cathedral altarpiece of Seville.
Choir
It occupies a section of the central nave of the church, just in front of the Main Chapel in the Crucifixion area. It is decorated with masonry walls, except on the front, where it has an exceptional Renaissance grille, the work of Fray Francisco de Salamanca, made between 1518 and 1523; it is topped with a crest whose central motif represents the tree of getsé.
Inside the choir is the choir stalls composed of two bodies, in which there are 117 seats carved in wood; they are made in Gothic Mudejar style and represent sculptures of saints and reliefs with scenes from the Old and New Testament. Of great interest is the decorative set located in the misericordias where a wide allegorical repertoire of vices appears, personified in monstrous figures.
On the chair destined for the King, decorated with the coats of arms of Castile and Leon, the signature of the sculptor Nufro Sanchez and the date 1478 appear, thus documenting the carving work. However, from 1479 onwards, the sculptor Pyeter Dancart continued to work on the decorative process of the masonry, which was not definitively completed until the 16th century. The great lectern in the center of the choir is a renaissance work made of wood and bronze. Several sculptors participated in its execution, who made it between 1562 and 1565; the bronze reliefs were cast by Bartolomé Morel.
We will conclude this commentary by pointing out the mastery and harmony with which the marvelous double pipe organ is coupled to the formal structure of the choir stalls.
Covers
Assumption Gate
It is located in the center of the “west” or main façade, with greater proportion and solemnity than the adjoining portals that flank it.
It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin, the subject of the tympanum and from which it derives its name. It remained unfinished for centuries until Cardinal Cienfuegos y Jovellanos decided to finish it in 1827.
The works were directed by the architect Fernando Rosales, who maintained the gothic style in the configuration of the constructive elements, culminating his work in 1833.
The sculptural decoration was made years later, entrusted to Ricardo Bellver, who made in artificial stone the images of saints that decorate it, also placing the relief of the Assumption of the Virgin in the tympanum of the door as we have already mentioned.
Door of Forgiveness
It is one of the basic elements of the mosque and from where it was accessed at that time to the interior of the Almohad enclosure and from where its central nave and the mihrab were lined up.
Its entrance arch still preserves its original appearance with a pointed horseshoe arch; the plateresque plasterwork decoration that covers it was made in 1522 by Bartolomé López.
The front of this door was renovated in 1520 and decorated with a set of sculptures made of terracotta by the sculptor Miguel Florentín, who made the images of St. Peter and St. Paul on the sides, the Virgin and the Archangel Gabriel above the previous ones, and the large relief of the Virgin and the Archangel Gabriel. the Merchants’ Expulsion which is just above the arch of the gate.
At the moment it corresponds to the exit of the cultural and artistic visit of the temple.
Conception Gate
The façade is located on the north front of the transept and opens onto the orange tree courtyard. It is a work that was left unfinished in the initial process of construction of the temple, remaining so until 1887, when it was completed with a design by the architect Adolfo Fernández Casanova.
In it, the author adjusted to the Gothic style of the rest of the building, so that, in spite of its late date, it harmonizes perfectly with what was built in previous centuries. The facade of the door receives a crowning where the image of Jesus presides as a priest, accompanied by his apostles. The large lateral pilasters date from the beginning of the 16th century.
It was popularly called colorada because of the polychrome that covered its interior as a pictorial decoration.
Puerta de las Campanillas
Located at the head of the Cathedral on the left side of the Royal Chapel, it is a Gothic doorway adorned with Renaissance sculptures.
It is dedicated, according to the decoration of its tympanum, to the entry of Christ into Jerusalem, corresponding to a sculptural group made of terracotta carved around 1520 by the master Miguel, who also made the sculptures of prophets that appear in the jambs.
This doorway is popularly known as the door of the bells, because during the construction of the Cathedral the bells that called the workers to start the work were located there.
San Miguel Gate
The portal on the right of the main façade is dedicated to the Nativity of Christ and is also the work of Lorenzo Mercadante of Brittany. On the jambs, also executed in terracotta by the same artist, are the four Evangelists plus Saint Laureano and Saint Hermenegildo. The small sculptures located in the archivolts are the work of Pedro Millán.
Prince’s Gate
Doorway located in the south arm of the transept where the cultural and artistic visit to the temple is currently accessed individually. Its construction is relatively recent, although, in its realization, the architect Fernández Casanova stuck to the gothic style of the rest of the building. This doorway is flanked by two large 16th century pilasters.