Chapels
The Baptismal Chapel
The Baptismal Chapel is covered by a vault and a roof lantern. The outstanding marble font that gives its name to this chapel was funded in 1778 by Bishop Juan José García Álvaro, as indicated by the inscription.
In this chapel, individuals received “Baptism, which is the path from the realm of death to Life; the gateway to the Church and the beginning of a permanent communion with God.”
Chapel of Relics
Passing through a remarkable 14th-century Mudejar entrance, featuring a pointed horseshoe arch, you’ll find yourself in the Chapel of Relics, a place that served as the chapter’s gathering place from the 15th to the 18th centuries.
Thanks to the generous donations of Bishop Juan José García Álvaro, the chapel underwent a renovation in 1783 aimed to create a space for housing the relics that were kept in this temple. Inside the chapel, you’ll discover two Rococo-style gilded wooden altars carved in the 18th century by the renowned woodcarver from Salamanca, Miguel Martínez de Quintana. The bigger one was designed to safeguard the relics and is adorned with a carving of Saint Joachim. The second and smaller altar is dedicated to Saint Peter Martyr of Verona.
In the centre of the chapel, a glass display case showcases reliquary boxes containing relics of saints, including a 16th-century monstrance with a relic of Saint Peter of Alcántara and a Bible he used, with its corresponding annotations. On the side, another display case preserves the so-called “papal vestments” from the 17th century, likely created in the renowned embroidery workshops of Coria.
The chapel is enclosed by an impressive Baroque grille, meticulously crafted in 1783 by the skilled artisan from Salamanca Francisco de la Iglesia Martín.
Now, let’s step into the heart of the cathedral’s nave, a space that leaves a lasting impression with its vastness and radiant illumination. This single nave spans an impressive 56 by 17.5 metres, divided into three sections and complemented by the crossing and the transept arms, as well as the square-shaped main chapel. The entire expanse is covered by beautiful rib-vaulted ceilings.
Chapel of Peter of Alcántara
This chapel was founded in 1489 by the canon and bachelor of decrees, Hernando Alonso de Amusco, a member of the illustrious Manrique de Lara family, who passed away in 1493. You can see his tomb on the left side—an exemplary late Gothic piece from the late 15th century, featuring a slanted lid adorned with intricate iconography and three coats of arms of the Manrique de Lara family. One shield is on the side, while the other two adorn the lid. The coats of arms are surrounded by thistle leaves among which emerge other fantastical creatures.
The chapel ceiling is formed by a barrel vault supported by six ribbed arches resting on corbels adorned with cherubs. This design was carried out by Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón and Pedro de Ibarra after the original vault collapsed in January 1563.
Dominating the chapel is a baroque altar with Solomonic columns, crafted in 1682 by Juan de Arenas. Two rectangular side windows and an oculus in the attic allow light to filter in from the outside. The altar niche displays a statue of Saint Peter of Alcántara, carved in 1676 by Bernardo Pérez de Robles, a sculptor from Salamanca. This piece is complemented by relieves depicting Saint Joseph with the Child, the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, Saint Louis King of France, the Resurrection of Christ, Saint Peter, Saint Paul, and another figure praying at a lectern, although its identity remains uncertain due to significant deterioration.
To the right, you’ll find the charming Chapel of Solitude, featuring a barrel vault with three arches. On its front side, there is an 18th-century baroque niche-shaped altar featuring images of Mary Magdalene, Saint John, the Virgin Mary, and a Crucifixion scene. This Romanesque, highly dramatic, and expressive work dates from the late 16th century, and it’s attributed to Lucas Mitata.
Chapel of the Annunciation
The spandrels formed by the archway entrance bear the busts of David holding a harp and another biblical king, possibly Saul, wielding a sword. The barrel vault is similar to the one we just visited, featuring six transversal ribs resting on mannerist S-shaped corbels. The barrel vault is akin to the one we just visited, adorned with six ribbed arches resting on mannerist S-shaped corbels. On the floor, you’ll spot the tombstone of Canon Francisco de Valbuena, embellished with a Renaissance relief featuring a child holding a skull.
The chapel features two 18th-century altars. To the right, you’ll find one dedicated to the Annunciation, with a 16th-century panel below the main painting portraying the Ecce Homo flanked by the Virgin and Saint John. Opposite it, another small baroque altar features a portrait painted by the Sevillian artist Francisco Gil Japón, representing the blessed Marcelo Spínola, who served as the bishop of Coria.
The Chancel
We now find ourselves in the cathedral’s chancel, a square space adorned with rib-vaulted ceilings where you will be able to contemplate the majestic High Altar.
This masterpiece reflects the characteristics of the late 18th-century style, with hints of the calmer Neoclassical era. It stands on a lofty base, with side doors for access to the staircase leading to the primary niche, where you’ll find the statue of the Assumption of Our Lady, the cathedral’s patroness.
The first horizontal level boasts four giant columns with fluted shafts and composite capitals, all adorned with intricate vegetal elements. Dominating the lower horizontal level is the splendid tabernacle, flanked by sculptures of the Evangelists and the Faith. On the sides, semicircular niches house images of Saint Joseph with the Child on the left and Saint Peter of Alcántara on the right.
The entablature leading to the second horizontal level still exhibits Baroque traits, with the cornice artfully extending over the large semicircular niche housing the patroness of the temple, the Assumption of Our Lady. She stands elevated on a cloud-like pedestal, surrounded by cherubs and crowned by two angels.
The second level and pinnacle adapt gracefully to the curved shape of the vault, in keeping with Baroque aesthetics. It features two central columns and two lateral estipite pilasters, whose supports frame three semicircular niches. In the central niche resides the beautiful, classicist, and serene group of the Fifth Anguish of Our Lady, also known as the Piety, while the lateral niches, reminiscent of the lower level, contain images of Saint Francis of Paola on the left and the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa on the right. These saints held a special place in the heart of Bishop José Francisco Magdaleno, whose coat of arms, featuring the Sacred Heart of Jesus and a cardinal’s hat, crowns this magnificent structure in honour of his patronage.
This altar, crafted between 1746 and 1747, is a collaborative effort between the Trinitarian architects Friar Juan de San Félix and Friar José de la Santísima Trinidad, the gilding of this masterpiece was executed by Eugenio Jiménez in 1748, and the splendid sculptures, enriched with polychromy by Eugenio Piti, are the creation of the Valladolid-born artist Alejandro Carnicero in 1747.