Churches of Leon

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of León, typical colonial baroque building built between 1747 and 1814. Because of its solid, anti-seismic construction its walls have endured earthquakes, volcanic eruptions of Cerro Negro volcano, and bombings during civil wars. Several cannons were placed on the roof both during the siege of the city by conservative forces in 1824 and during the Revolution of 1979 against dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle.

The Assumption's is the largest cathedral in Central America while it has been the first episcopal seat of Nicaragua since 1531, making it one of the oldest dioceses in the Americas. In the cathedral's crypts are buried several illustrious figures such as poet and diplomat Rubén Darío, at the foot of the statue of St. Paul. Darío is the leading figure of the Modernism Poetic Movement of the late 1800's to early 1900's and was declared the Prince of Spanish Letters by literary figures of the Spanish speaking world. Other illustrious figures buried at Leon's cathedral are poets Salomón de la Selva and Alfonso Cortés, father of independence Miguel Larreynaga, classical composer and musician José de la Cruz Mena, and several bishops.

There are a number of tunnels that connect the Cathedral with other temples that were used as hideouts or escape routes during terrorist attacks by British, Dutch, and French pirates. However, the tunnels are not accessible to the public for some have been converted to the sewer system service. In the early 20th century the first bishop of León and last in Nicaragua, Archbishop Simeón Pereira y Castellón (the same who presided over the funeral of Darío on February 13, 1916) commissioned Granadan sculptor Jorge Navas Cordonero to make a statue of the Virgin Mary to crown the top the façade, and two pairs of Atlanteans to support the beams that connect the central gable to the flanking bell towers. Navas also sculpted the statues of the Twelve Apostles inside, along with the columns of the central nave, and the lion at the tomb of Dario, which resembles the Lion of Lucerne, Switzerland. Navas also created several moldings in the interior walls and built the Tabernacle Chapel.

• Church of Subtiava was considered the main temple after the cathedral. Its construction began in 1698, during magistrate Diego Rodríguez Menéndez administration and was completed August 24, 1710. In 1844, during the war with El Salvador, the tower dome was destroyed but it was re-built in the early 20th century.

• Church of San Francisco is part of the convent of San Francisco, one of the oldest in Nicaragua, founded in 1639 by Friar Pedro de Zúñiga. In the interior remain two good examples of plateresque altars. However, its main attraction is the outstanding courtyard. Built in pure, Leonese colonial style, this is a grassy expanse with an ashlar fountain at the center from which four radiating walkways, flanked by manicured lemon trees, lead to the surrounding porticoes where some of the columns are covered in red bougainvilleas. Towards the south, a line of Royal palms shade the roof and complete the peaceful ensemble.

• Church of la Recolección, construction began on December 5, 1786, by Bishop Juan Félix de Villegas thanks to contributions made by parishioners. Its outstanding Mexican baroque façade is considered one of the most important in the city. The interior also contains one of the best baroque altarpieces in the city highlighted with paintings and silver engravings.

• Church of la Merced, in 1762 the Mercedarian fathers built the first convent and church but these were demolished later. In the 18th century the present Church of la Merced was erected with drawings attributed to Mercedario Friar Pedro de Ávila and conducted by master builder Pascual Somarriba. Adjacent to the north side of la Merced is the Paraninfo (former Mercedarion convent) built in beautifully delicate Baroque style which is now UNAN's main administrative building.

• Church of el Calvario, a fantasy of textures and colors of pure Leonese baroque. The façade consists of a central body, painted off-yellow with white trimming supported by white, half columns. The gable contains high reliefs of the passion of Christ. The two flanking bell towers painted Burgundy red and highlighted with white grooving, are made up of righ reliefs representing bricks. The central body contains a central Roman arch door flanked by two smaller, flat ones. They are all separated by columns, topped by a frieze covered in white garlands. The interiors are a pleasant soft white to keep them cool during the long, hot, and dry Leonese summers. The ceiling, also white, is highlighted by red and yellow outlining in the shape of crosses, leaves, and flowers. Built by the illustrious Mayorga family, el Calvario dates from the first half of the 18th century and it is one of Leon's architectural jewels at the east end of calle Real or "Main Street".

• Ruins of the Church of San Sebastián, built in the late 17th century as a chapel of the Cathedral, San Sebastián's was one of the first religious buildings in the city. Re-built in late 18th century by Colonel Joaquín Arrechavala, it was bombed during the siege of León by airplanes of the regime's Nicaraguan Air Force (FAN) in 1979. Since it was built with adobe bricks San Sebastián's was easily destroyed, unlike other churches built in brick or stone which endured shootings and bombings.

• Church of Guadalupe, built in the late 19th century under the auspices of father Villamil replacing an 18th-century hermitage, it is of simple construction, in keeping with the sobriety of the Franciscans.

• Church of Zaragoza, with an atrium and lateral corridor, its construction began in the late 19th century and ended in the mid-20th century by Bishop Salmerón, the façade was designed by Dr. Francisco Mateo.

• Church of San Felipe, a large building that occupies an entire block, it was built in 1685 for blacks and mulattoes worshipers. In 1859 it underwent an extensive expansion that gave it its present form, whereas the tower was restored in 1983.

              (Wikipedia- Leon, Nicaragua)