Spanish Gothic Style

The Gothic Style spread rapidly among other countries, and Spain, was not an exception. During the Romanesque period, Spanish artists adopted the French style of building and decorating in order to differ and stand out from the Muslims, with whom they shared the Iberian peninsula. During the thirteenth century, the identification of French style with Christian conquest encouraged the appearance of the Gothic style in Spain.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria in León, also known as León Cathedral, was built in León, Spain in the 1240s. This cathedral is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The building is not only an example of Gothic Art, but also a recollection of history, religion, and art. Back to the times before Trajan, the Roman Emperor, the Romans
Germans invaded León but did not established themselves there. In the fourth century, a monastery was built and Cladius and his brothers, martyrs during the Roman persecutions, suffered martyrdom there. Later, León was invaded by Mussulmans and fell into their power, which was then reconquered by a Catholic, Alfonso I. For a second time, Mussulmans invaded and destroyed again, and once again, it was rebuilt by Ordoño I, between 850 and 866. Then, the construction of the Cathedral began, but actually its original purpose was not a Cathedral. The royal residence was ordered to be built by Ordoño I, and later on, Ordoño II transformed into a Cathedral. The creation of Cathedral of Santa María begun right after King Ordoño II won San Esteban’s battle, in which he was fighting against the arabs, and as an act to thank God for his victory, he decided to convert his palace in a Cathedral, and by 914-24 he became the founder of the Cathedral. In those times it was very common to place the founder’s remains in the Cathedral he founded as a way of honoring him, and so they did. King Ordoño II’s remains were buried there. Another important event that took place in the Cathedral of León took place in 999, when King Alfonso V was crowned in the building. The Infanta Doña Urraca, King Fernando I’s daughter, played an important role during the construction of the Cathedral, as she
The Cathedral of Santa María was not only inspired in Reims Cathedral, but also in other Flamboyant Gothic royal cathedrals of France such as St. Denis Basilica. The covered walk, for example, has carved capitals, Romanesque and Gothic tombs, and some frescoes. The main façade has two towers. The southern tower, also known as the “clock tower”, is known by its interior, which is a combination of architecture, sculpture, and painting. The west façade, similar to the south, is made of a pale yellow stone in between two towers and placed with three Gothic portals and a large rose window. The Cathedral’s inside is definitely French Gothic-inspired, decorated with around 125 medieval stained glass windows, three aisles, short transept, a five-bay choir, and an ambulatory with chapels. The pale stone, when combined with the rays of sunlight filtering through the stained glass windows, create an effect that has given the cathedral the nickname “House of Light”. The Cathedral of León has stained glass from the thirteenth to twentieth centuries, and it covers an area of 1,765 square meters. The collection of stained glass inside the Cathedral of León, along with Chartres, may be one of the most important collections of its kind in Europe and even in the whole world. The majority of these window