The Catedral Vieja of Santa Cruz

The Catedral Vieja of Santa Cruz is now known as the parish of Santa Cruz. It is the oldest church in the city and it was the cathedral of Cadiz until 1838, the year in which the construction of the New Cathedral was completed, located close to it. Alfonso X the Wise, in the thirteenth century, ordered the construction of the Catedral Vieja over an old mosque. It is, therefore, in Gothic style. It was remodeled in the early seventeenth century, taking on the form that we can still admire. Inside, it is rectangular in shape, with three naves divided by rows of stone columns and arches. The marble altarpiece of the chapel of the Genoese is prominent in it, a sign of the economic power achieved by the “Nation” in Cadiz. Outside, the bell tower with a roof tile, separated from the church, stands out, which looks similar to the minaret of a mosque and thus confirms the Muslim origins of the building.