the main altar

[low_delta]

Around the perimeter of the church, there were many chapels.

2
The middle of the church was taken up with the choir. So where does one go for mass, if not the side chapels?

3
The main altar.

As I mentioned earlier, Cyn had to insist that I follow, and see it. Turning around from the choir, you find the pews under the highest vault of the ceiling. In front of them is a huge, cast iron fence and gate. Behind it is the very opulent main altar, with its very ornate and very large altarpiece.


4
The thing is huge. It contains 50 scenes from Christ's life. Down at the bottom, in the middle is his birth. Across the top can be seen the twelve apostles, with (I'm assuming) is the scene where Jesus's body is taken down from the cross. Way up above that, is Jesus on the cross (you can't quite see it in this picture). (Click to see it big.)

If you go back up to pic #2, you can see the top of it, between the angels of the choir.

5
And it's dusty.

If you'd like to learn more about the altarpiece, and it's construction, feel free to Google it. ;-)

Comments

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Even though it's all gilded (and dusty), it was all hand carved and is considered among the three or four best main altars in the world, just for its size and artistic value.

I do wish they'd clean it off more often, though. The thing is, you can't just take a can of Pledge and a dust cloth to the thing. You have to have a whole army of museum restoration experts. Gilding is notoriously delicate and flakes off at the slightest aggression. So the dust of the ages is allowed to settle.

The perspective in pictures 1 and 3 is great!

[northernsnokat.livejournal.com]

I am not sure why but picture #2 intrigues me!

[likethebeer.livejournal.com]

I like pictures 1 & 3 also. They're among the things in your photos that remind me of the reasons that I've been given, on why these cathedrals were so large - to remind you of the glory of God and elevate you with a place so beautiful that it would be like your one glimpse of Heaven in your life.

Plus, having an altar this overwhelming would give you something to look at in mass while the priest was droning on in Latin. ;>

[rivendweller.livejournal.com]

Really beautiful photos, Kevin!

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but it's advertising. Without the inspiration, you get fewer converts, and even less money with which to feed the poor. The real complaint is not that people do this, but that societies need to do it. And we wont' even get into the things that these huge organizations do once they're established.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

True, but look at all the cool stuff we get to see centuries later.