Antigua Catedral de Managua
Nicaragua
About
The Old Cathedral or Old Cathedral of Managua Managua is a neoclassical building in the city of Managua, capital of Nicaragua, which was damaged by the earthquake of December 23, 1972, but until now has been repaired. Its facade resembles that of the Church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, France. The former Metropolitan Cathedral, located on the site of the existing building was demolished to make a new one. In 1912 Pope St. Pius X had created the Archdiocese of Managua and Leon, Granada and the Diocese of Matagalpa, for until then the only episcopal see was that of Leon. Bishop José Antonio Lezcano y Ortega was appointed archbishop of Managua and the Parish managüense (built in the late eighteenth century) was upgraded to Metropolitan Cathedral, was demolished in 1925 to make better. The first stone was laid on April 5, 1925, in a simple ceremony by Monsignor Lezcano and the President of Nicaragua Carlos José Solórzano, but the first design of the Cathedral was published on January 10, 1926 and therefore did not satisfy the Archbishop consisted of a nave and a separate bell tower, opposite the temple. A Monsignor Lezcano liked the picture of a church in Belgium and asked the engineer Paul Dambach, of Swiss origin, who designed the plans for the Cathedral based on the photo of the Belgian Church, the iron frame was brought from Belgium, Nicaragua and boat to the port of Corinto, Chinandega transported it by rail to Managua. The construction works of the Old Cathedral began in 1928. It was the first building of this size built of reinforced concrete in the country, three years after the start of construction on March 31, 1931 an earthquake destroyed the capital, but not its metal frame and has replicas Victorian architectural design European style Renaissance and Neoclassical. Congress enacted a law of the Cathedral, establishing a special tax of one dollar for every quintal of coffee, to allocate the funds raised to build the temple, which was supported by the government of General Jose Maria Moncada. On December 1, 1938 was inaugurated (the dictator as president General Anastasio Somoza Garcia), but was not consecrated until the July 24, 1946, during the celebration of the centenary of the elevation of Managua city. The Somoza family had a special place to be there during the celebration of Mass and the Te Deum. La Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago was richly decorated on the exterior and interior, including windows, niches, marble altars, statues
