Paris1972-Versailles2003

I have other than Madrid, San Sebastian or Donostia in basque was the first city I ever went to in Spain, My dear late mom Gladys had an old friend from the region that went to school with her and after living in Madrid took the opportunity to see each other once there and once in Madrid! There you go why! This was back in 1972 !!! , and then many times afterward ! I found me again pictures in my cd rom vault that should be in my blog for you and me, I have written on the city of San Sebastian before but very little on this marvelous monument, the catedral; it is time to tell you more on it, Therefore, here is my take on the Catedral del Buen Pastor of San Sebastian !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

The Catedral del Buen Pastor or Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is a Gothic-style church, inspired by medieval architecture from Germany and France. Its main facade features the sculpture “The Cross of Peace” by Eduardo Chillida. standing on calle Loiola , the cathedral built in the 19C. Interestingly, from this pedestrian street, we can see in a straight line, on one side, the Santa María Basilica Church (see post) in the Old Town and on the other, the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. The cathedral is located in a large square of the same name, in the romantic area of San Sebastián. Thanks to its tall spire, it has become the city’s tallest building and also its largest church. The church was inaugurated in 1897 ,and didn’t become a cathedral until 1953. The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is the seat of the Diocese of San Sebastián, which belongs to the Archdiocese of Pamplona, ​​located in San Sebastián, province of Gipuzkoa,in the Basque Country of the kingdom of Spain.

The Catedral del Buen Pastor is a cathedral with a Latin cross floor plan, three longitudinal naves, a transept, and a pentagonal apse. It has a surface area of ​​1,915 square meters, a nave height of 25 meters, a 75-meter tower, a central nave 64 meters long and 36 meters wide at its transept, and a capacity of 4,000 people. It is austerely adorned with choir stalls. Above them, resting on a pedestal suspended from the central octagonal corner of the apse, is the carving of the Good Shepherd, which was originally on the Neo-Gothic high altar. Also present are carvings of the Four Evangelists, likewise from the old altar, now placed on the pillars of the transept. Beneath the rose windows of the transept, the initial project envisioned two doors, which were ultimately replaced by two gilded, Neo-Gothic altarpieces depicting the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Conception of Mary. These were installed in 1907 and 1917, respectively. Other points of interest include the altarpieces and altars of the Holy Family, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Saint Anthony, and Saint Francis of Assisi. Also , the altars of Saint Teresa and Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The seated statue of Our Lady of the Rosary presided over an altar that was removed in 1972. The Crypt is located beneath the presbytery, it has served as the parish sacristy since the 1949-1953 renovation. The stained glass windows have seven double windows of the apse depict the twelve apostles and the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. It also features figurative stained-glass windows in the baptistery. The remaining stained-glass windows are incorporated into double (upper) and triple (lower) windows, and run along most of the side walls. Two rose windows open at the ends of the transept.  The current organ, the second to have been installed in the cathedral, was inaugurated in the upper choir of the church in 1954. According to data published at the time, it was the largest organ in Spain and one of the largest in Europe. The choir organ was built in 1953.

A bit of history I like tell us that in 1881, by Royal Decree, a new parish division was adopted for San Sebastián, which included the creation of a parish, long demanded by the inhabitants of the area, in the southern part of the city, in what would later be called the Amara Expansion. In August 1887, the City Council ceded a plot of land between the Urumea river and playa de La Concha beach, occupied by sand dunes and marshes, for the construction of the church. Until it was completed, the spiritual needs of the local parishioners were met by a temporary parish, consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Inaugurated in March 1888, this rudimentary temple was made of wood and was located between Calle Loyola and Calle Príncipe , in the nearby old San Martín Market. The Spanish royal family, who were spending the summer in the city, were invited to the laying of the foundation stone. The ceremony took place on September 29, 1888. Queen Regent Maria Cristina, her children, and Infante Antonio de Orléans y Borbón, along with ministers and other authorities, attended the solemn Mass. After only nine years of construction ,the Church of the Good Shepherd was consecrated on July 30, 1897. The royal family again attended the grand ceremony, including Queen Regent Maria Cristina, King Alfonso XIII, and Infanta Maria Teresa.

The official Catedral del Buen Pastor : https://catedralbuenpastor.org/en/welcome/

The San Sebastian tourist office on walking tour see Cathedral : https://sansebastianturismoa.eus/en/to-do/plans-in-san-sebastian/walking-tours/art-nature/full-tour/

The Euskadi region tourist office on the cathedral : https://tourism.euskadi.eus/en/cultural-heritage/buen-pastor-cathedral/webtur00-content/en/

There you go folks, a dandy in my dear Spain, you must come to San Sebastian, The cathedral is a must to visit here, me think, Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Catedral del Buen Pastor of San Sebastian !!! as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!