Time and Culture Across the Iberian Lands: The Cathedrals' Orientation Paradigm—A Diachronic Analysis of the Orientation of the Cathedrals of Portugal and Spain

  1. Maitane Urrutia-Aparicio 123
  1. 1 Universidad Europea de Canarias
    info

    Universidad Europea de Canarias

    Orotava, España

    ROR https://ror.org/051xcrt66

  2. 2 Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
    info

    Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias

    Santa Cruz de Tenerife, España

    ROR https://ror.org/03cmntr54

  3. 3 University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
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Journal:
Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry

ISSN: 2241-8121

Year of publication: 2024

Type: Article

DOI: 10.5281/ZENODO.13382956 GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to explore the complex and evolving orientations of cathedrals in theIberian Peninsula and associated islands, examining the interplay between cultural, religious, politicaland architectural influences. Employing temporal and cultural analyses alongside remote sensing toolslike Google Earth and HeyWhatsThat to gather archaeoastronomical data, over a hundred structureshave been documented, revealing diverse orientation patterns across centuries. The earliest cathedralsaligned predominantly with equinoctial orientations in accordance with canonical prescriptions. However, deviations to the northeast appear from the 13th century onward, challenging conventionalexplanations and suggesting the need for a more in-depth analysis. Results suggest that cathedralsmight be oriented according to ancient Roman city planimetries, to the perpendicular of the mostemployed qiblas during Muslim rule, and, naturally, to the ancient Christian prescriptions. In thiscontext, the research sheds light on the potential influence of regional idiosyncrasies and pre-existingstructures in shaping cathedral orientations, emphasizing the necessity of considering diverse culturalinfluences. Finally, a pivotal turning point around the last Council of Trent (1563) and the Gregorianreform of the calendar (1582) is identified, marking a relaxation in orientation prescriptions. Overall, this research contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the intricate history of templeorientations in the Iberian Peninsula within a broader cultural and historical context.

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