Jerez de la Frontera Cathedral, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain

The Jerez Cathedral is a beautiful building from the 17th century which combines Gothic, Baroque and Neoclassical styles and stands above the earlier Great Mosque of Jerez and the old Church of El Salvador.

The chapels of La Inmaculada, El Sagrario and Las Ánimas stand out inside, the latter dedicated to the famous Cristo de la Viga, from the 14th century.

The bell tower, which is outside, was possibly built over the minaret of the old mosque of Jerez de la Frontera.

References:

andalucia.org

User Reviews

Damian Zapart (13 months ago)
I've seen better places but this one is ok. Unfortunately no way to go solo on a tower.

Karim Boumjimar (13 months ago)
This Ghotic/Baroque style cathedral was quite astonishing, we spent some time just staring at it before posing like typical tourists. The building was just so beautiful. We didn’t go inside though.

K B (13 months ago)
This Ghotic/Baroque style cathedral was quite astonishing, we spent some time just staring at it before posing like typical tourists. The building was just so beautiful. We didn’t go inside though.

Bull Dogg (14 months ago)
Outstanding and underrated cathedral in Andalusia. Having seen many cathedrals and basilicas in Spain we were amazed by this one. It has countless rooms and halls and the art in the cathedral is stunning. We spent a good hour in the cathedral but we could have spent at least two. It features secret stairs and rooms, genuine ancient robes, bibles and gardens. We aren’t particularly interested in churches but this one is simply breathtaking.

Berni Albrighton (2 years ago)
Fabulous cathedral. Some stunning pieces. Definitely worth a visit.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright caminanteK

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Château de Foix

The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians. The county became a privileged refuge for persecuted Cathars.

The castle, often besieged (notably by Simon de Montfort in 1211 and 1212), resisted assault and was only taken once, in 1486, thanks to treachery during the war between two branches of the Foix family.

From the 14th century, the Counts of Foix spent less and less time in the uncomfortable castle, preferring the Governors' Palace. From 1479, the Counts of Foix became Kings of Navarre and the last of them, made Henri IV of France, annexed his Pyrrenean lands to France.

As seat of the Governor of the Foix region from the 15th century, the castle continued to ensure the defence of the area, notably during the Wars of Religion. Alone of all the castles in the region, it was exempted from the destruction orders of Richelieu (1632-1638).

Until the Revolution, the fortress remained a garrison. Its life was brightened with grand receptions for its governors, including the Count of Tréville, captain of musketeers under Louis XIII and Marshal Philippe Henri de Ségur, one of Louis XVI's ministers. The Round Tower, built in the 15th century, is the most recent, the two square towers having been built before the 11th century. They served as a political and civil prison for four centuries until 1862.

Since 1930, the castle has housed the collections of the Ariège départemental museum. Sections on prehistory, Gallo-Roman and mediaeval archaeology tell the history of Ariège from ancient times. Currently, the museum is rearranging exhibits to concentrate on the history of the castle site so as to recreate the life of Foix at the time of the Counts.

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