Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned, Gibraltar

Gibraltar

Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned

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Summary

Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned, Gibraltar is the main place of Catholic worship in Gibraltar. A church has existed on the site since the 14th century. Converted to a mosque during the Moors occupation this was demolished in 1462, and a new church, designed in Gothic style was erect on the site. Significant development was undertaken at the beginning of the 19th century.

Located in the centre of Gibraltar along the main street, the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned is the main place of Catholic worship in Gibraltar.

A church has existed on the site since the 14th century when, following the defeat of the Moors, their mosque was converted to a church. In 1462 this was demolished, and a new church designed in Gothic style was erect on the site.

During the Great Siege of 1779-1783 the building was severely damaged and in 1790 the then Governor of Gibraltar, Sir Robert Boyd undertook to rebuild it in return for part of the land on which the building originally stood as it had stretched across what is now the Main Street. The intention of this was to allow him to re-route Main Street in order to straighten it. This being carried out in 1801.

Reconstruction of the cathedral took place in 1810 and in 1820 the clock tower was constructed. Restoration work on the cathedral was carried out in 1931 and the west façade was replaced with the one that we see today.

The First Apostolic Vicars and Bishops were buried beside the Presbytery, while more modern bishops who died in the 20th and 21st century are buried in the Crypt beneath the statue of Our Lady of Europe. Until the 19th century, anyone who died in Gibraltar had the right to be buried under the cathedral floor.

In the square outside the cathedral, along the Main Street is a statue of a soldier. This was a gift from the Corps of the Royal Engineers to Commemorate the formation in Gibraltar of the Company of Soldier Artificers in 1772, in 1856 this became the Royal Engineers.

Entry to the cathedral can be through the small courtyard, which is the remnant of the larger Moorish court belonging to the mosque. Within the courtyard is the coat of arms of the Catholic Monarchs who expelled the Moors; or through the main front door leading into the nave. At the far end of the nave is the High Altar. On the left is the Altar of our Lady Europe and on the right is the Altar of Blessed Sacrament.

On the altar of the Blessed Sacrament, is a marble tablet which commemorates Padre Juan Romero de Figueroa, who remained in the church, when the British occupied Gibraltar in 1704. He is credited with saving the catholic faith on Gibraltar.

Another plaque that is found in the cathedral commemorates the laying in State of Władysław Sikorski's, the Polish Prime Minister who was killed when his plane crashed into the sea just off Gibraltar in 1943.

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Courtyard

Nave

At the Cross

Altar