MAINALTAR

Cathedral Basilica of Durango

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History · 1842–1844

The Presbytery and the Main Baldachin

Seat of the Archbishop of Durango

In the main apse of the Cathedral, in 1749 an altar was built described by Bishop Pedro Tamarón y Romeral as The Pyramid — three tiers bearing numerous saints, all gilded carved wood. Beneath the altar lie the funerary alcoves of the bishops, archbishops, and canons of this church.

The current main baldachin, crafted between 1842 and 1844 by artisans Cristóbal de la Jara and Agapito Medina, represents a moment of aesthetic transition in which neoclassicism and eclecticism converge — a harmonious ensemble that responds both to religious functionality and to the aesthetic ideals of its time.

“A pyramid of three tiers bearing numerous saints, all of gilded carved wood.”
— Bishop Pedro Tamarón y Romeral, 1749

Curatorial text: Museum of the Cathedral Basilica of Durango · Archdiocese of Durango

Historical research: Historian José Alonso Martínez Barrios

1842

Altar Mayor · Catedral de Durango

The Main Altar

The Baldachin · Cathedral of Durango

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Architecture · Eclectic Neoclassicism · 1842

The Main Baldachin

Its stepped square plan forms the base of a carefully proportioned structure. The eclectic composition, dominated by neoclassical elements, establishes it as the visual and symbolic axis of the Cathedral of Durango.

Corinthian Columns

At each corner of the square plan, sets of four Corinthian columns with gilded capitals rise in a peripteral arrangement evoking classical models reinterpreted through the architectural language of the 19th century.

The Entablature

The entablature resting on the columns acts as a unifying element, connecting the base to the upper tempietto. Its dentil rhythm lends geometric precision to the ensemble.

Lantern and Ciboria

The upper tempietto features a lantern drum flanked by ciboria designed to house minor relics. These elements reinforce the sacred character of the ensemble and highlight the relic-keeping tradition.

Bulbous Dome

The bulbous dome crowns the structure with palm-leaf decoration — a symbol of martyrdom and spiritual victory — and is topped by a flaming ciborium that draws the gaze upward toward divine transcendence.

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Sacred Art · Memory and Devotion

The Baldachin as Episcopal Seat

The baldachin carries an institutional character: it constitutes the seat of the Archbishop of Durango, reinforcing its importance within the liturgical organization of the space. It not only shelters the altar but also represents ecclesiastical authority in the Archdiocese.

Cristóbal de la Jara · Agapito Medina

Craftsmen of this baldachin built between 1842 and 1844, they embody the artisan tradition of Durango — blending neoclassical restraint with the ornamental virtuosity characteristic of 19th-century sacred art.

Significant Elements

History and devotion of the ensemble

The Immaculate Conception

Carved, gilded and polychromed wood · 1785

Brought in 1785 by Bishop Esteban Lorenzo de Tristán, this prized sculpture housed inside the baldachin is the spiritual heart of the structure and of the Archdiocese of Durango.

The Funerary Alcoves

Pantheon of bishops and canons · Beneath the altar

Beneath the main altar lie the funerary alcoves of the bishops, archbishops, and canons of the church. On the Epistle side were kept the hearts and tongues of Bishops Antonio de Macarruya and José Joaquín Granados.

The Presbytery Gate

Turned ironwork · Liturgical boundary

A gate of turned ironwork delimits access to the presbytery and choir, marking the clear separation between the space for the faithful and that reserved for the ecclesiastical hierarchy.

Main Altar · The Baldachin