*From end of October, 2024
Studying abroad, I have found a new and unexpected love: art and cathedrals. Fortunately, Spain offers an abundance of beautiful, ancient cathedrals to choose from and I think I have found my favorite in Málaga, Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación.
On a Wednesday, I took the train from Seville to Malaga and met up with my friends at the apartment and then went out to dinner. They were my sweet companions for the weekend, bearing with my requests for fifteen more minutes in each section of the church.
The construction of the cathedral began in the sixteenth century, built to replace its successor, the El Hammas Mosque. As an image of Castilian power, the cathedral was commissioned to be made by Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon so no one would doubt the might of the monarchy. The original design was created by Diego de Sileo, a popular architect of the era that is famous for his work on the cathedral of Granada. Throughout time, the cathedral grew to incorporate a variety of artistic styles such as Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance with the help of talented architects like Jose Martin de Aldehuela and Pedro de Mena.
Unfortunately, grandeur comes with a cost and the government of Malaga could not keep up with the cost of the cathedral. Even going so far as to put a tax on the boats that came into the Malaga harbor in an attempt to continue construction. It is unknown where the money ended up going, likely to other expenses within the city, but the cathedral was never finished. This is how the cathedral earned its nickname, La Manquita, meaning “the one-armed lady”. Locals of Malaga are still fighting for the last tower to be completed and for the cathedral to meet its potential, but many still think that it is too late and too expensive to complete the task. It doesn’t help that construction had to stop multiple times due to pieces of the ceiling crumbling internally due to the sheer weight of it.
The art collection inside of the cathedral is vast, with a highlight being “The Beheading of Saint Paul”. The work of a famous Valencian painter, Enrique Simonet Lombardo, is notable because Saint Paul’s head is bleeding instead of spurting milk as was written in the apocryphal work. This work is meant to serve as a reminder of the sacrifices that Christians have made throughout time, a particularly strong message in such a strong and beautiful cathedral surrounded by other Christian works. Another piece that was particularly striking was the choir, carved out of mahogany by Pedro de Mena in a Baroque style. The forty-four distinctly different characters offer a feast for the eyes, as you can see each dimple and fold in a cloak in the sculpture. De Mena’s work lives on in its life-like qualities, giving Christianity’s figures real life qualities with the care of his chisel.
Though it is likely obvious, the cathedral and the art it held was my favorite part of the excursion. I love to see how love and passion manifest into art, especially in relation to religion. Religion represents such a strong force through our society, culture and history and much of it is based on trust and belief. Despite not being a religious person myself, I can feel the energy flow through these spaces with such a force that I am often brought to tears. I think it is beautiful and appreciate the products of that effect whenever I can.
The day, like all do, came to an end and my friends and I retired to the apartment to make dinner and enjoy the final hours we had together. After enjoying a two-day trip traipsing through the central tourist city of Malaga, we were ready to sit down with a glass of wine and enjoy just each other’s company for a while. The end to our time together came on Saturday morning when we went our separate ways to the airport and train station, leaving me to stare out the window of my train car and hold the memory of the cathedral in Malaga.
