What to do · Teruel, a Mudéjar City
Cathedral of Santa María de Mediavilla
Information
- Duration
- 45 min
- Season
- All year round
- Who it's for
- Everyone
Teruel Cathedral is eight centuries old and has a Mudéjar bell tower of 1257-1258 attached to it. What you come to see is inside: the painted Mudéjar ceiling over the central nave, which Turismo de Aragón calls the "Sistine Chapel of Mudéjar". There is also the lantern tower by Martín de Montalbán, the high altarpiece by Gabriel Yoli and the Modernista south portal by Pablo Monguió, with the railing by Matías Abad.
What you will see
It began as the parish church of Santa María de Mediavilla, became a collegiate church in 1342 and a cathedral in 1587, when the diocese of Teruel was created. It has three naves and a straight ambulatory. The tower, raised in 1257, is of brick with green and white glazed ceramic, and its first section opens in a pointed arch over the street.
The ceiling is of wood, with a pair-and-collar-beam frame, and measures about 32 m. According to the diocese it dates from the second half of the 13th century; the city's tourist map places it around 1300. It is covered in geometric, plant, heraldic and written paintings, and scenes with kings, knights, craftsmen, saints and fantastical creatures: an encyclopedia of medieval life. In the 18th century it was hidden by a Neoclassical false ceiling, and that protected it to this day; the last major restoration was in 1999. It has been a National Monument since 1911.
The lantern tower, finished in 1538 by Martín de Montalbán, is an octagon with large windows of Renaissance motifs over the crossing. The high altarpiece was commissioned in 1532 from Gabriel Yoli. Outside, the south portal designed by Pablo Monguió in 1909 opened the city's neo-Mudéjar period. The tower, the ceiling and the lantern are part of the Mudéjar of Teruel declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
Hours and tickets
The diocese publishes tourist hours on working days of 11:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 19:00 in winter, until 20:00 in summer. During services tourist visits are not allowed: on working days there are masses from 9:00 to 11:00, and on Sundays and public holidays from 9:00 to 14:00. Tickets are sold on the cathedral's ticket website; the price does not appear on the diocese's page. Information and visits on 978 61 80 16 or at [email protected]. The cathedral is at Plaza de la Catedral, 3, and the Museum of Sacred Art, in the episcopal palace, has a separate entrance from Plaza Venerable Francés de Aranda.
Allow about 45 minutes. Very close by are the El Salvador tower and the Mausoleum of the Lovers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important thing in the cathedral?
The painted Mudéjar ceiling, from the late 13th century.
Can you visit on Sunday?
On Sundays and public holidays services take up the morning until 14:00; call 978 61 80 16 to confirm the afternoon.
Can you see the ceiling up close?
From the nave, looking up; it takes some time to pick out the scenes.
