2-370-040 - Samuel Magal/Sites & Photos/Heritage Images

The 'Apostle's Gate', the Cathedral of Avila, Spain, 2007. Work on this cathedral began in the 12th century in late Romanesque style. Dedicated to San Salvador, the cathedral was completed in the 16th century as the first cathedral in Spain with Gothic design. The building has a Latin cross plan. Predominant in its exterior architecture are the details of a fortress above those of a church, showing the medieval alliance between the cross and the sword. Impressive inside are the ambulatory and the alabaster tomb of El Tostado by Vasco de la Zarza, that seems more like an altarpiece than a tomb. The paintings in the main chapel are by Berruguete and Juan de Borgoña. Other contributing artists were Juan Guas (15th century cloister), Francisco de Mora (Chapel of St Segundo) and Martin de Solozano (Capilla del Cardenal library).The cathedral was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument on October 31, 1914. Avila was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.