Lleida information
Seu Vella
The
visit to the monumental complex of Seu Vella plateau will allow
you to have magnificent views of the city from "llengua de serp"
or Baluart de la Reina.
The castle -as it is lovingly called by the people from Lleida-
is, from its privileged position, the most remarkable landmark
of the city
According to some historians, the building works of Seu Vella
started in 1203 under the guidance of master builder Pere de Coma
on the grounds of a former Muslim mosque. Devoted to Saint Mary,
the temple was consecrated in 1278. Its building works were never
interrupted and in the 14th century the cloister was completed.
During the 14th century the bell tower was begun to be built and
its building works went on until 1431. It was designed as a basilical
three-aisled Latin cross plan. Inside the temple we can also find
outstanding features, like the sculpture in the naves, which shows
the influence of the Tuscan, Toulousain and Provençal workshops
which worked on it throughout the 13th century, as well as the
mural painting remains, which belong to the Gothic period.
The Doors
The access to the architectural complex is by the Porta dels Fillols,
situated on its southern side. On the meridional wall five monumental
doors make up a clear example of late Romanesque architectural
sculpture by the so-called School of Lleida.
The western door or Porta dels Apòstols, which gives way to the
cloister from the outside, was started in the 14th century and
finished during the 15th century. At the top of this monumental
Gothic door there was Verge del Blau, which is now placed in the
Catedral Nova.
The cloister
Situated in the western part of the cathedral, it is one of the
most peculiar cloisters in the country. Rectangular-shaped, its
naves are divided in five parts with pointed vaults and large
elegant openworked windows overlooking the outside from the southern
gallery and offering a great view over the city and its Horta.
The belltower
Seu Vella bell tower has 7 bells. Two of them are Gothic in style
and were built in the 15th century; their names are Silvestra,
which tolls the hours, and Mónica, which tolls the quarters.The
other five are electric bells from the middle of the 20th century
and they mainly have a liturgical purpose. Their names are: Crist,
Purísima, Bárbara, Meuca and Marieta.