Thursday, September 28, 2017

Leiria, Portugal: Cathedral


The cathedral church at Leiria was built between 1550 and 1574, having been elevated to a diocese in 1545. It was severely damaged in the 1755 earthquake. In 1811 it's interior was burned by French troops.

This stamp was issued in 2013 as part of a series of eight. This was the second set issued in the "Rota das Catedrais" series begun by the Portuguese postal authority. The stamp shows the interior of the cathedral, a straight shot down the nave toward the east end along with an exterior short. The stamps of the 2012 set were all in a landscape format; those in the 2013 set are oriented vertically. One can discern the altar in the center of the image. Harder to see are the two Baroque organ cases within the chancel area. The very top of the cases are only slightly seen in the stamp image. However, one does not see that these cases are essentially empty, with the pipe openings in the facade covered shut. A new organ stands in the south transcept, facing west. It is not visible in the stamp. The image below of the cathedral interior makes this all more plain.


According to the Orgaos de Portugal site, this new, unseen, instrument was built in 1998 by Georges Heintz. That site also includes a disposition. I have not been able to find any information about the older instrument whose cases are still in the chancel area.


No comments: