8 February 2012

Global Seminars & Invited Speaker Series

PAMPLONA AND SAN SATURNINO

A unique Gothic temple

D. Carlos Martínez Álava.
I.E.S. Sierra de Leyre. Sangüesa

From the architectural point of view, San Saturnino is an original and unique building. Its singularity within Gothic art comes from both its dimensions and its plan. With a very wide single nave, its chevet is organized around a crown of six radial chapels (originally 7), with a large main chapel on the axial axis. Its greater rank and size presides over an elegant hierarchical order. At the same time, the extreme square chapels incorporate to the general design two powerful towers that will serve to fortify especially its eastern flank, overlooking the Navarrería. Windows and rose windows complete the characterization of a beautiful, radiant Gothic building. Its finer forms (sections of arches and pillars, tracery, vegetal capitals...) match those of the cloister of the cathedral of Pamplona. The two sexpartite bays of its nave, with a span of more than 15 meters, are probably the widest ever built, after those of the choir of the cathedral of Beauvais. As in the French cathedral, this archaizing solution was also adopted at Saint-Saturnin on the spot, probably after the exterior buttresses were erected for another subject roof.
The most important families of the village participated in its construction. Two keystones on the interior bear the arms of the Eza family. Bernardo de Eza, mayor of the borough in 1297, was the one who financed, at least, the construction of the choir. Before 1300, the Cruzats also enjoyed the great distinction of being buried in the presbytery of the church. The presence of both families financial aid us to situate the beginning of the works in the last quarter of the 13th century, after the War of the Navarrería.

The interior monumentality is difficult to find on the outside. The alleys of the old burg of Saint Cernin continue to swirl around the temple plot. There are practically no significant perspectives. Its presence on the ground does not do justice to the building. We must climb the tower, we must move away towards the squares to discover in San Saturnino the seal that characterizes the skyline of Pamplona. It is also a singular silhouette for the city.
But it is especially from the cathedral where the expressive value of its sharp presence is perceived in its full extent. After the civil war of the Navarrería, the balance of forces of the city has been seriously upset. Those of the burgh of San Çernin congratulate themselves victorious, while the Navarrería has been destroyed. In this historical panorama, the construction of a new parish church has an undoubted symbolic value. In spite of the small size of the plot, the new building will raise the keystones of its vaults to a height of more than 25 meters. The cathedral of Tudela, the tallest medieval building in Navarre until then, reached 23.5 meters in its main nave. And over this singular structure rise two defensive towers of more than 50 meters high, which are positioned threatening and powerful against their enemies of the cathedral. Quite a statement of intent, a demonstration of strength as real as it is symbolic.

Church of San Saturnino. View of the crown of chapels

Church of San Saturnino. View of the vaults