The lantern of Zamora cathedral revisited

Abstract

The lantern of the cathedral of Zamora is a very unique work in the history of Western architecture. It combines very diverse influences such as the Byzantine, the Islamic and the French Romanesque integrated in a unitary and coherent whole where each part maintains its singularity. As its most outstanding elements, we can mention the construction on pendentives, the circular drum pierced by windows, the ribbed dome, the gored spaces between the ribs, the angle turrets and the central gables. However, it has not been a much portrayed monument with the exception of the drawings made by the restoration architects. This essay aims at analysing minutely the architectural composition of the lantern and showing its elements by means of the drawings and photos of the lantern that the author himself has made together with some panoramic views of the city of Zamora, where the lantern appears as a visual reference.

Keywords

• zamora
• catedral
• cimborrio
• cúpula
• bizantino
• gallones