Leon Cathedral

I don't want to diss Leon's Cathedral, which is beautiful, but I couldn't help but find it a little less fulfilling than that of Burgos. Not that it's a contest or anything. And Leon's cathedral does have some pretty wonderful elements.

This true gothic edifice, built for a town that only had 5,000 people living in it at the time, was built in less than 100 years (roughly the entire 13th century). That may sound like a long time, but money had to be found, materials had to be sourced and brought in, then prepared, constructed, carved, painted and decorated by craftsmen who came from all over Europe, and all of this was done by hand. It is also a pretty big place, about two-thirds the size as Rheims Cathedral on which it was based.

What I found particularly wonderful (and better than Burgos) were the windows. By the time this Cathedral was built, architects had figured out how to let in light without subjecting the structure to walls that were too flimsy to hold all that glass and wouldn't just collapse. Known as the "Cathedral without walls", Leon's Cathedral has more glass and less stone than any other Cathedral in Spain, and many others in the rest of Europe. It has almost 1800 square metres of glass, cut into small, richly coloured pieces that form wonderful panels.

But the architects knew how to use the windows to their best effect. Using pillars and ribs, as in Chartres in France, three storeys of windows can be built, although these ones in Leon are even more open, allowing even more light to come in. The alter, as usual, faces East to catch the rising sun, and these windows glow with the story of the passion.

As the daylight moves, the windows along the south are in vibrant colours, reds and greens and yellows, and highlight the arts and sciences and the virtues and vices.

The opposite side never gets the light, being north facing, and these windows are in darker colours, blues and ombres, and they show scenes of regular life, such as hunting scenes with men, and falconry, and ladies in gardens.

The west window is the rose window, which is now being renovated, but apparently is stunning. I will have to take their word for it.


Other things I found interesting included small images of Greek gods still in evidence. These were often part of early churches but at some point it was felt that they conflicted with the concept of the Christian one God and were removed.

By the time the Cathedral was done, gothic design had become a bit more florid, as in this gate known as the Thistle Gate, but in general this Cathedral has been kept at its early gothic ideal: simple and elegant.

Most depictions of the Virgin Mary have her receiving the news she is about to have a baby, or with her and baby Jesus but almost none show her actually pregnant, so I was thrilled to see this very real carving of her as a woman soon to become a mother, softly touching her belly in such a charming way.

the soldier who pierces Jesus with his spear is shown
holding his eye where Christ's blood falls into it,
thus blinding him, rarely depicted

These closeup scenes from a panel that shows the passion concurrently were very well realized, with movement and emotion shown in simple carvings. 

so many people reaching, holding and embracing Christ
in natural ways

 And the cloisters had very elaborately and unusually carved ceilings.