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

A Choir students "concert" at the Basilica del Pilar.

A Choir students "concert" at the Basilica del Pilar.

There is a veeeery ancient choirboys group at the Basilica del Pilar. It is known that its patron saint lived around year 1250!!!!!.
Every day this small group sing in the Basilica for a mass.
You can hear them (obviously free). Just remember that you will be in a Catholic mass and respect and silence is required and expected. At any case... be sure it worths a lot!!.

The "Infanticos" group.

Infanticos is the name given for the 20-ish children who will sing every day in the Basilica. They are aged 6 to 12 and have a very good music training.
Despite its training and being very famous in the city, there aren't many events outside of the Basilica with this group. Every year for Christmas date they make just a concert and, as a school, they participate in several activities around the region or maybe far away, which will include some concerts.
But... for instance, it was in a Christmas TV program in the Aragonese television in December 2012 when they made the first appearance in TV. A lot of centuries of History and never, never in TV until then.

 

 

Not only a choirboys group but a school

It is a really school where children can go from 1st primary school to 6th primary school. They will end their studies there and will continue at any other school (almost all of them in one school that manages almost this education and has its own building with education until 18-years).
Children of 1st and 2nd (aged 6 to 8) will go to first mass in the Basilica and later to class, ending every day at 18:30
Children 3rd to 6th (aged 8 to 12) will stay living in the school because will manage activities while weekend. If they live in Zaragoza they can go home for sleeping but staying in the first event every morning. They usually make shifts to be free one weekend out of two.
They will have all subjects as a normal school, with their marks and so on. But... they will have a very important music training. This will include singing and an instrument. Children (with their parents) are asked to choose the instrument they want to learn: piano, violin, flute, ...
Being in the school with the extra accademic training in music will ratify basic and intermediate level of their instruments (it is not usually for a children so young to have that level, be sure!!!) and will be able to go to the advanced music level for their instrument.
There are some pupils of this school who keeps with music after 18. As music teachers, orchestra directors, etc...

How can I hear them?

Every day, monday to saturday, they will collaborate in the 9:00 mass in the Basilica del Pilar, singing there. You just need to go to mass and hear them.
Sundays will be more special but... at 7:00
And the major, major day is the October 12th (the major Zaragoza day, the Pilar Virgin's day), and they will sing at 4:30 (yes, 4:30 in the morning... or better in the night, not in the afternoon, and they are very punctual).
It really worths to hear them.
Anyway, the Basilica has loudspeakers and a single part of the hymn will be played at 09:00, 12:00 and 20:00, 365 days. It will be very easy to recognise it if you are in the old city but it can be heard from several kilometres away. But you need to pay attention. It takes just half minute.

 

 

Choirboys entering the Basilica

 

Do they make other activities?

Yes. Some (very few) concerts and you will see them along the Basilica.
It is a strong tradition in Zaragoza to take all children and go with them besides the Virgin statue. They will be these choirboys who will manage it. There are several hours while weekend when you can see it.