Burgos - Cathedral

The construction of the cathedral was ordered by King Ferdinand III of Castile and Mauricio, the Bishop of Burgos. Ferdinand had just married Barbarossa´s granddaughter Beatrice of Swabia (aka "Elisabeth of Swabia") and wanted a cathedral, reflecting his new role in the European power game.

The former Romanesque cathedral got demolished and on July 20, 1221, the construction of the new Gothic started under the guidance of an unknown French architect. After nine years, the chevet was completed and the high altar was consecrated. Then the construction stopped for about 200 years.

Attending the Council of Basel (aka "Council of Florence") in 1435 bishop (and diplomat) Alfonso de Cartagena saw the just completed, elegant towers of the Basel Minster. When he returned to Burgos he was accompanied by German architect Johannes von Köln (aka "Juan de Colonia"), who probably knew the blueprints of the towers, planned for the Cathedral of Cologne. Under his guidance the towers of the
Cathedral were completed in open tracery. He was followed on the construction site by his son Simon de Colonia.

The "Puerta del Sarmental"

This portal is the south transept portal, named after an important family in Burgos. It is about a decade older than the "Portada de la Coroneria".

Here is the tympanum of the portal. In the center Christ, seated on a throne, holding the Bible. Around Christ are the symbols of the Evangelists, they can actually be seen sitting on writing desks and working.

Below are the 12 Apostles, all holding a bible.

Angels (holding candles?) populate the inner archivolt, musicians the outer ones. The (24) Elders of the Apocalypse? Here are 29 crowned musicians. They play a variety of interesting instruments. The very left musician of the middle archivolt plays an organistrum. The seventh musician (from left) on the outer archivolt plays a small portative organ. A child operates the bellows.