Another requirement Casa y Novoa had to deal with was making the new façade match the Renaissance double staircase that leads up to the terrace in front of the doorway. It also had to match the beautiful buildings that make up the rest of the square, particularly the superb Hospital of the Catholic Monarchs. The commission was fulfilled in a brilliant way. You have only to look around you to see the well-balanced urban setting that he achieved, which is one of the most beautiful in Spain.

However, the facade was not to everyone’s taste at the time, because of the mixture of styles. Many public figures argued that only the Baroque style should be used and wanted the Romanesque features to be removed. Fortunately, most of the medieval structure was kept, and today we are able to see a solution that cleverly incorporates the Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles.

Have you noticed the buildings on either side of the portico? The building and archway on the left is the Palace of Bishop Gelmírez, which was begun in the 12th century, although what you see here dates from the 17th-century refurbishment. The building on the right belongs to one of the facades of the 16th-century cloister.



(c) (R) 2013, MUSMon com S.L.
Text (a) Diego Laforga Marcos

Pictures
Source: Own work
Author: Diego Laforga (2013)