Co-Cathedral of St. Mary: A Romanesque Cathedral Seat in Monzón
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.4
- Popularity
- Low
- Country
- Spain
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval, Early Modern
- Civilizations
- Crown of Aragon, Spanish
- Site type
- Religious
- Remains
- Cathedral
On this page7 sections
History
The Co-Cathedral of St. Mary is a Latin Catholic church in Monzón, Spain, built after the Christian conquest of the town and principally Romanesque, the medieval style marked here by massive supports, rounded apses, and barrel vaults. Construction began in 1089, and the church was consecrated in 1098, probably before all of its work was complete. Building continued into the first half of the twelfth century. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it is now one of the two cathedral seats of the Diocese of Barbastro-Monzón, sharing that status with Barbastro Cathedral.
Foundation and Medieval Use
The church emerged during the consolidation of Christian rule in Monzón. Its first consecration took place only a decade after construction began, while the continuation of building into the twelfth century shaped the substantial medieval structure that survives today. During the Middle Ages, the church hosted the courts of the Kingdom of Aragón on several occasions.
Monzón was also a frequent meeting place for the Courts of the Crown of Aragón, representative political assemblies convened by the ruler with delegates from the principal estates of the realms. As one of their principal venues, the church formed part of the town’s political and institutional setting as well as its religious life.
Collegiate and Cathedral Phases
The church became a collegiate church in 1607. Seventeenth-century changes altered its medieval arrangement, including the loss of the Romanesque cloister and the construction of the crypt and the present bell tower. An entry atrium was added in 1681, and later work at the west end introduced three chapels built in different periods.
In 1904, the tower was restored and received a new clock. The church was designated a national monument in 1949 and declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in Spain in 1993. Since 1995, it has served as a co-cathedral, a church sharing the cathedral seat of a diocese with another cathedral, alongside Barbastro Cathedral.
Remains
Exterior Plan and Apses
The surviving exterior is defined most clearly by the medieval apses and the tower rising above the crossing. On the north side, the adjoining square was historically the principal square of Monzón until well into the early modern period. The church is entered through a small covered atrium built in 1681. It has no monumental façade, a character perhaps shaped by the later addition of three west-end chapels, whose construction dates and stylistic features differ.
The transept projects distinctly from the main body and leads to three apses, the church’s terminal spaces around the altar. The central apse and the apse on the epistle side, the side traditionally associated with the reading of the Epistle, are semicircular and Romanesque. The third apse is polygonal and Gothic, reflecting a style associated here with pointed forms, ribbed vaults, and polygonal apses. All three may originally have been Romanesque, although the present arrangement appears to have developed early. The central apse is deeper than the others for liturgical reasons.
Interior Structure
The interior is arranged in three naves of nearly equal height. Barrel vaults cover the spaces, with a pointed barrel vault over the central nave. Massive pillars with attached half-columns support the long vaults. Their capitals carry fine geometric decoration influenced by Islamic art, while only some include human figures. At the levels of the transverse and crossing arches, the half-columns create a double line of ornament.
The crossing contains a ribbed vault, formed with intersecting structural ribs, constructed during the building of the tower. The high altar was later moved forward into this area. The church originally had a stone gabled roof placed directly over the vaults. A timber roof was added subsequently, while the original stone roof remains preserved.
Chapels and Tower
The three chapels at the west end represent different building periods. The chapel now dedicated to priests martyred during the Spanish Civil War is crowned by a lantern tower. To the left of the entrance, the baptismal chapel displays an elegant Gothic character.
The bell tower differs materially from the rest of the church. It is built of brick, whereas the main building uses ashlar blocks, carefully cut stone masonry. Although described as Baroque, its decoration remains restrained and uses geometric motifs and blind arches influenced by Mudéjar art. Mudéjar refers to Christian architecture and decoration in Iberia that incorporated Islamic artistic and construction traditions.
The tower has three levels. Its lower stage is square in plan, while the two upper stages are octagonal. The belfry occupies the first octagonal level and contains eight bells: one dated 1930, two dated 1940, and five dated 1999. Two further bells at the top mark the hour and date from the beginning of the twentieth century.
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