Rodrguez, Ma.

Victoria (Wednesday)
Metropolitan Cathedral of Montevideo
Today Im going to talk about the Church of the Immaculate Conception, also
known as the Metropolitan Cathedral of Montevideo. It is located right in front of the
Cabildo across la!a Constituci"n#, in the neighbourhood of Ciudad $ie%a#. Its
construction was started by a ortuguese engineer in &'(), and finished by the
*panish architect Tom+s Toribio in &,)-, when it was inaugurated. Its fa.ade was
finished in &,/). The Cathedral was declared 0ational 1eritage *ite in &('2. It is
representative of the *panish neo3classicism. It was originally built in brick and tiles.
4s regards the front of the church, shapes of a geometrical type prevail. The
fa.ade is completely covered in a wheat3kind of colour. The main portal is flanked by
two ionic columns on its both sides. There are two more portals, and all of them have
semicircular arches. 4bove each arch, there is a medium3si!ed window. 5ver the
main portal, there is a s6uare window, and over the other two portals, there are
rounded windows. 4t the top of the roof, we can see three statues representing the
$irgin Mary, *aint hilip and *antiago standing on a semi3circular pediment.
Moreover, there are two bell towers at both ends of the fa.ade, and below the north
bell tower, there is a liturgical clock.
In the interior, pure geometrical shapes are the ones that prevail, as we can see
in the semicircular arches and the s6uare tiles with circular designs covering the
floor. The cathedral is a basilica type church with three naves of the same height, a
transept, and a dome set on a cylindrical drum. The interior is covered with marble of
different colours and decorated with golden details, sculptures and paintings. 5n the
walls, we can also see some colourful stained glass windows with biblical figures.
The three naves are separated by thick pilasters. 0e7t to the right nave, there is a
round chapel, the 1oly *acrament chapel. There is a dome over the chapel and a
rectangular space on one of its sides, which is the baptistery.
5pposite the entrance, we find the altar of the great chapel. The floor is covered
with a cardinal red carpet, and some parts of the walls are also painted in dark red.
The main table was originally made of %acarand+ wood, and a national pink stone. It
is decorated with sculptures attached to the base. 4t the back, in the apse, there are
four niches, each of which hosts a medium3si!ed statue representing a saint. Three
of the niches are separated by golden ionic columns, and the fourth niche is centred
above the niche in the middle of the area below. The background of the apse is
decorated with a sort of grid made up of s6uares in cardinal red with golden
ornaments.