A jewel of Romanesque art !
Fortunately, the cathedral at least has been saved from damage. Skilful
maintenance has brought it down to us intact. The conversation of it
into a museum will safeguard it from any future deterioration. Purity of
line allied with sober material, giving an architectural strength itself
the symbol of a living faith, is not this a definition of medieval
Christian? It fits the Cathedral of Notre-Dame of Tortosa perfectly.
Even the main doorway, which is a piece of reconstruction, blends in
fully with the whole building. Five windows with broad embrasures,
emphasize by fine colonnades, are the sole and sufficient ornament of a
facade of otherwise military austerity. There is indeed, moreover,
something of the fortress about this solid, squat edifice flanked by
very salient buttresses and leaning against two towers whose walls are
pierced by narrow arrow slits. The interior is in marked contrast. The
medieval rigor is now relaxed. The high central nave divides into four
pointed vaults. The side-aisles with their rib-vaults follow the same
pattern. The stonework of the three apses is done with the greatest of
care. The Mediterranean light streams in through the triple window in
the facade and through the choir windows on to the delicate pink stone.
The capitals are an imitation of the Corinthian type, but with great
variety in the leaf patterns: broad curling leaves, croquets eglantines,
central rosettes with sometimes a small human head in their place…
One of the curious features of the church is found on the second pillar
on the left hand side of the nave. Its base is lodged in cubical piece
of masonry pierced by a low vault. This is probably the entrance to the
old Byzantine chapel through which the pilgrims passed in the 4th or 5th
century to make their devotions to the ion of the Virgin and take
communion at the altar of Saint Peter.
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