Zaragoza: The four cathedrals city

Zaragoza: The four cathedrals city

How many cathedrals does Zaragoza have?. The answer is four.
Yes, it is true. Why so many?. Let's tell the whole story.

Let us count. One, two, three and four

Yes... first Cathedral: Seo de San Salvador (in this blog, every time we will talk about the "Cathedral" we will talk about that one. Otherwise we will indicate the name of it)
Second Cathedral: Basilica del Pilar
Third Cathedral: Basilica de Santa Engracia
Fourth Cathedral: Iglesia de San Pablo

Why so many cathedrals?

It is common for some dioceses to have a main cathedral and a Second-cathedral. And always a church has been considerated and consecrated as cathedral it will keep the range for ever.
After the Middle Age in Zaragoza there were two different dioceses. One at El Salvador (current cathedral) and second one at El Pilar. The diocese of El Pilar had, indeed, two cathedrals: main cathedral at El Pilar, second-cathedral at San Pablo.
And, Huesca diocese had the Santa Engracia church (it was consacrated as basilica just some decades ago) as his second-cathedral. Even if it was 72 km away and between two other diocese, this church was really a cathedral of Huesca. In fact, it was the church that gave more incoming to the Huesca diocese.
Zaragoza dioceses were unified only in one: El Salvador, and obviously with one arch-bishop and one religious structure only. So then El Salvador got the consideration as "Main cathedral" of the city but El Pilar and San Pablo kept their consideration of "second-cathedral".
In the middle SXX, the Second Vatican Council asked every diocese in the world to keep their limits as many near to administrative limits. Obviously you can always think if some village should change of bishop or shouldn't but it was very clear that they were asking to Huesca diocese not to have a second cathedral in a city where another archbishop was ruling all the religious administration.
Santa Engracia changed from Huesca diocese to Zaragoza diocese being another "second-cathedral".
And... you can find one "Main Cathedral" in Zaragoza and three "second-cathedrals". One plus three equal to four.
Four cathedrals in the same city (and really not far away)

What are their real names?

Let's start saying that Cathedral is translated into Spanish as "catedral" (without the "H") but into Aragonese as "Seo". Aragonese is a very little spoken language in the northern Aragon but there are some words that will be very used in Zaragoza. It will be very often to hear about the "Seo" instead of the "Catedral". Whayt it will be considered as a mistake is to talk about "Catedral de la Seo" because it should be translated something as "cathedral of the cathedral" or something like that. Just because "catedral" and "seo" mean the same in different languages. In spite this case... a great deal of guides will remain using that WRONG name.
Main Cathedral, San Salvador, will be used with the same name in English. You can translate it as "St. Saver" for instance... but remember that the city with the same name is not translated (the capital of the country El Salvador).
Second-cathedral, El Pilar, is usually called by the same name and it is one of the city's icon. A correct translation will be "The Pillar" (the Virgin appeared over a pillar, therefore its name) but I have never red that translation
Second-cathedral, San Pablo, could be easily translated as St. Paul (it is the name of the neighbourhood, by the way)
Second-cathedral, Santa Engracia, has no translation into English.

Were can I find more information and how can I visit them?

Obviously in the Tourism office were they will say the timetables for any cathedral.
El Pilar and San Salvador are included in the guided walks. Entrance to El Pilar is free. Entrance to San Salvador it is not, but not expensive and it worths a lot!!.
Santa Engracia has a very interesting crypt with its timetable. Ask in Tourism office for more detailed information.
San Pablo is not far away from city centre but in a slum neighbourhood that it is changing quickly and being refurbished. It has not a concrete timetable for visits but in the webpage they say that in the mornings they are opened 9:00 to 12:30, they have a morning mass at 9:30 and they ask everyone who wants to visit it to go when the mass has finished, monday to saturday. So you will have 10:00 to 12:30 monday to saturday to visit it.
Take notice that El Pilar and San Pablo are that little list of places that can be visited on mondays, if you are in the city that day.

In further posts we will talk about these cathedrals, one per one.

How can I reach them?

Walking, by public transport or by touristic bus.
San Salvador: Touristic bus in cathedral stop. Tramway in Plaza de España
El Pilar: Touristic bus in El Pilar (Echegaray y Caballero). Tramway in Plaza del Pilar-Murallas
Santa Engracia: Touristic bus in P.Independencia. Tramway in Plaza Aragon
San Pablo: Touristic bus in Conde Aranda. Tramway in Cesar Augusto

And some pictures

Seo de San Salvador (Main Cathedral)

Basilica del Pilar

Basilica de Santa Engracia

Iglesia de San Pablo