 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (May 2019) |
| Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos | |
|---|---|
Catedral de Santa María de Burgos | |
 Façade of the Burgos Cathedral | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Catholic |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Metropolitan cathedral |
| Year consecrated | 1260 |
| Location | |
| Location | Burgos, Spain |
| Geographic coordinates | 42°20′26.9″N 3°42′16.1″W / 42.340806°N 3.704472°W |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 1221 |
| Official name: Burgos Cathedral | |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (iv), (vi) |
| Designated | 1984 (8th session) |
| Reference no. | 316bis |
| Region | Europe and North America |
| Modified | 2014 (38th session) |
| Buffer zone | 78.107 hectares (193.01 acres) |
| Official name: Catedral de Santa María | |
| Type | Non-movable |
| Criteria | Monument |
| Designated | 8 April 1885 |
| Reference no. | RI-51-0000048 |
| Website | |
| www | |
The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos (Spanish: Catedral de Burgos) is a Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary located in the historical center of the Spanish city of Burgos. Its official name is the Holy Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica Church of St Mary of Burgos (Spanish: Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Santa María de Burgos).
Its construction began in 1221, in the style of French Gothic architecture and is based on a Latin cross. After a hiatus of almost 200 years, it went through major embellishments of great splendor in the 15th and 16th centuries: the spires of the main facade, the capilla del Condestable, 'Chapel of the Constable' and dome of the transept. These are elements of the flamboyant Gothic which gives the cathedral its unmistakable profile. The last works of importance (the Sacristy or the Chapel of Saint Thecla) were performed in the 18th century, during which the Gothic portals of the main facade were also modified. The style of the cathedral is the Gothic, although it has several decorative Renaissance and Baroque elements as well. The construction and renovations were made with limestone extracted from the quarries of the nearby town of Hontoria de la Cantera.
Many works of extraordinary artists are preserved in the cathedral, bearing testimony to the creative genius of architects and sculptors of the Colonia family (Juan, Simón, and Francisco); the architect Juan de Vallejo; sculptors Gil de Siloé, Felipe Bigarny, Rodrigo de la Haya, Martín de la Haya, Juan de Ancheta, and Juan Pascual de Mena; the sculptor and architect Diego Siloe; the fencer Cristóbal de Andino; the glazier Arnao de Flandes; and the painters Alonso de Sedano, Mateo Cerezo, Sebastiano del Piombo, or Juan Rizi, among others.
The design of the main facade is related to the purest French Gothic style such as found in the contemporary great cathedrals of Paris and Reims, while the interior elevation refers to Bourges Cathedral. The facade consists of three stories topped by two lateral square bell towers. The spires, showing Germanic influence, were added in the 15th century by Juan de Colonia. The portals of Sarmental and la Coronería were constructed in 13th-century Gothic style, while the portal de la Pellejería shows 16th-century Plateresques-Renaissance influences.
The cathedral was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on 31 October 1984. It is the only Spanish cathedral that has this distinction independently, without being joined to the historic center of a city (as in Salamanca, Santiago de Compostela, Ávila, Córdoba, Toledo, Alcalá de Henares, or Cuenca) or in union with other buildings, as in Seville. It is similar in design to Brussels cathedral.[citation needed]