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It does not cost to convince to anybody, once visited the Cathedral of Santa Maria de Urgell, who is one of monuments more insignes of the universal Romanesque Art, by his proportions, purity and harmony of his lines and the unit of style with what it appears to our eyes. Let us say before, but, that this is fourth of the diocesanas cathedrals and third of which, in just a short time, they were raised in the same site. First it had been constructed in Castellciutat. Possibly, at the beginning of century XI, the second cathedral was made small to reunite to the feligreses, since the population increased beyond, in great quantity, during century X. the bishop Room (981-1010) projected the construction of a new cathedral. But he was a nephew his, Ermengol, who took it upon maturity, when happening to him. Son of vizcondes of Conflent, Ermengol governed the diocese long time: from the 1010 to the 1035. They were 25 years of extraordinary, spiritual and social activity. It released Guissona of the Muslims, it fomented the communitarian life of the canons, took care of the necessities of poorest, constructed to bridges and ways for the improvement of the communications... and died indeed when he himself in the construction of the bridge of the Pont of Bar worked, in the way of Cerdanya. |
In the Seu d'Urgell is impressive the assembly of buildings that speak to us of their time: the chapels of Santa Eulàlia and Sant Francesc de Assís, where today the City council is located, Sant Miquel, in the North face of the vestibule of Cerdanya, in the place that now is the reconverted Room of Culture and Conventions of Sant Domènec, that was built in gothic style during century XV. In the South band and this of the present cathedral one surely was the Episcopal palace and the Hospital of the poor men.
That it passed to him to the temple of Ermengol and Eribau that, as soon as spent about fifty years threatened ruin and forced Obispo Ot to come to its total reconstruction? We do not know anything. Ot, also venerated as santo -and Pattern of the Seu d'Urgell- governed the diocese from the 1905 to the 1122. Of him the letter is conserved in which it went to his faithfuls, granting abundant indulgences to those who contributed with their donativos to remake the cathedral in ruinous state. |
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| By testaments and other writings, many donativos done throughout all century XII consist that did possible to remake Santa Maria de Urgell, who has recently suffered an important and careful restoration. The works, directed by "masterful workers", also advanced of slow form... to the rate of the donations or of the labor agreements. After Sant Ot, bishops Pere Berenguer, Bernat Sanç and Bernat continued the company Roger. He was, finally, Arnau de Prexens (1167-1195), that gave the final push him. Concretely in year 1175, we found one contracts with a certain Ramon Lambard, by who this he commits himself in a term of 7 years to close the returns, to raise to the bell towers a line and to finish the dome. The document is interesting also to do to us I load at that time of the conditions of work of the " architects " (disposition of the necessary goods, assured manutención, etc...) Other references on Ramon Lambard are not sufficient the clear thing. It had worked already before in works of the cathedral? Came from the Italian Lombardia the same one or its last name simply expresses the office of " stonemason ", who groups of lombardos artists had extended and perfected from years back in our earth? What yes it is certain is that the cathedral that today we admired has an evident influence of the Romanesque Art that from the north of Italy extended by the south of France and the counties of the Old Catalunya. The 1182 Ramon Lambard would have fulfilled the order basically. He must even have raised the windy bell tower of the main facade. Of how they followed works more ahead, there is documentation nor no project. We only know that this one has lasted to the present time for joy of urgelenses, faithfuls and tourists, being one of the most emblematic and beautiful cathedrals of all Catalunya. |
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