Caracas Cathedral

The church originally built at this location in the mid-17th century was a mud-walled chapel and dedicated to St. James (Santiago). It was destroyed during the earthquake of 1641. The building has undergone rebuilding, restoration, or expansion on numerous occasions since. The first construction of the cathedral replacing the small church commenced in 1666 under Juan de Medina, and a bell tower was added. Construction was completed in 1674. The façade, dating from 1771, is the work of Francisco Andrés de Meneses. The building was again damaged in the earthquakes of 1766 and 1812. After the earthquake, one of its towers was damaged and later reduced in size. A frontispiece was constructed in the facade in 1866. The cathedral houses crypt chambers, the most notable of which is the Bolívars', as his parents and young bride are entombed here. until 1948. In 1974, the cathedral parish's marriage registry for the period 1615–1831 was published by the Instituto Venezolano de Genealogia. ==Architecture and fittings==

The structure is built from stone with a tile roof. The Romanesque plan consists of five naves: a central one and two minor ones on each side which makes the interior look wide. The central nave is separated from the lateral ones by 32 octagonal columns with composite capitals, supporting round arches; the columns were refurbished in the late 19th century. The main altar and altarpiece are inside the presbytery, located at the end of the central nave. The altars are gilded and the side chapels are elaborate in appearance. The prominent altar in the cathedral is of the Bolívar family which is prominently located at the centre, on the right aisle, which has a modern sculpture of Simon Bolívar titled "El Libertador" (The Liberator). There is also a colourful altar at the backyard of the cathedral. The cathedral's organ was built in 1711 by the French immigrant, Claudio Febres. One of the baptismal fonts, which had been located at the cathedral and was used to baptize Simón Bolívar, the liberator of Venezuela, is now located in the courtyard at the home of this birth. The sacral art in the cathedral contains among others The Resurrection by Rubens, the Presentation of the Virgin by Murillo, and the Last Supper, an unfinished work by the Venezuelan painter Arturo Michelena. ==Notable people==

of the Caracas Cathedral in 1798–1799. Notable figures in the cathedral's history include the isleño Manuel de Sosa Betancourt, who was its archdeacon. Carlos Herrera Mesones (1705–1761) was a canon and the cathedral's treasurer. ==Gallery==

Catedral de Caracas, fachada principal 01.jpg|2017 File:Interior Catedral de Caracas.JPG|2013 File:Catedral Caracas.JPG|2013 File:Caracas Cathedral 2.jpg|2007 File:Lessman, Federico Carlos - Plaza Major mit Kathedrale (Zeno Fotografie).jpg| File:Catedral de Caracas 1867.jpg|1867 ==See also==