The Episcopal Imprint in the Cathedral of San Antolín in PalenciaThe Construction of a Gothic Chevet (1321-1460)

Abstract

The see of Palencia was a destination coveted by bishops, as it represented an important step in the cursus honorum towards the most prestigious sees of the kingdom: Seville and Toledo. Besides, it was the fifth in the kingdom as far as the amount of its revenues was concerned, the lordship over the city was attached to it and its prelates held the title of counts of Pernía. In many cases the episcopal participation in the construction tasks was basic, as, although the prelates were frequently away and had to leave the burden of their church’s organization, to a large extent, in the hands of their chapter members, they showed great interest in promoting works which would contribute to increase the splendour of their see and enhance their own personal prestige. The Gothic cathedral of Palencia is a clear example of this behaviour and one of the buildings where the construction process can be followed more closely through the imprint left in it by its bishops. Therefore, we have set out to revise and study its documentary and chronistic sources, the coats of arms which can be spotted in the temple and its architectural structures themselves in order to go deep into the episcopal patronage and understand a little better the building history of the chevet in the San Antolín church.