Silver retablo mayor or altarpiece, 14th century

Silver retablo mayor or altarpiece, 14th century, in the apse of Santa Maria Cathedral or Cathedral of St Mary of Girona, in the town of Girona, at the confluence of the rivers Ter, Onyar, Galligants and Guell, Catalonia, Spain. The polygonal apse with its stained glass windows is separated from the nave by a wall holding 3 rose windows above Gothic arches. Its 10 trapezoidal ribs form 10 small radiating chapels, seen here. Behind the altarpiece is a stone double staircase leading to a stone carved seat. The nave, at 22m, is the widest nave in the world and is cross vaulted. The cathedral was begun in the 11th century in Romanesque style, and later continued in the 14th century in Catalan Gothic style, redesigned by Pere Sacoma in 1312 and built by the school of Mallorcan architect Jaume Fabre. Of the original Romanesque building only the 12th century cloister and a bell tower remain. The cathedral was completed in the 18th century. Picture by Manuel Cohen

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1312 Altarpiece Apse Begun Chapels Cloister Confluence Continued Fabre Galligants Girona Guell Jaume Mallorcan Onyar Pere Polygonal Radiating Redesigned Remain Retablo Ribs Separated Trapezoidal Vaulted Widest

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