La Catedral de Salamanca bajo la maestría de Juan de Setién Güemes (1667-1703)

Abstract

The New Cathedral of Salamanca is one of the latest Spanish Gothic Cathedrals. The first stage spans from 1513 to 1560 when the naves were finished. The construction of the transept and the sanctuary -transformed from polygonal to rectangular by Ribero Rada- began in 1589. The scarcity of resources in the XVIIth century led to the interruption of the works during the first half of the century, although these works were taken up again in 1658, but at a slow pace. The aim of this paper is to go deeply into the knowledge of the history of construction between 1667 and 1703, the years in which Juan de Setién Güemes was the director of the works. His interventions in the Old and New Cathedrals show the double language used by the Cantabrian master mason who, on the one hand was able to build in a Gothic style in order to keep the unity of the temple, and on the other hand conceived the new fachade of the Old Cathedral in a Baroque style. We can also appreciate his didactic abilities since he was entrusted with the training of Simón García, well known for the manuscript "Compendio de arquitectura y simetría de los templos". His nephew Pantaleón del Pontón Setién, who was his follower in the direction of the cathedral, was under his tuition too.