Visit to the Cathedral Belfry in Córdoba

We left the Jesuit Crypt of the old novitiate and, just as we had been suggested, we resolved to see the so-called "Jesuit Square" and thus grasp the magnitude of the work done by this religious order in the city of Córdoba.

We went down two blocks along Rivera Indarte Pedestrian Street and then turned left into Deán Funes Street up to its intersection with San Martín Street. At this point towards the right, the name of the street changes to Independencia. We bordered the historical cabildo and, before heading for the Square itself, a huge sign located next to the Cathedral entrance hall invited us into the huge architectural work.

In this opportunity, we were welcomed by Ariel, a young tourist guide student who was getting started in his profession. After an introductory lecture about the particular style of the church cathedral and about the various difficulties that had to be faced before its definitive materialization, we got inside the building in order to conquer, in a way, the North tower.

We crossed the Fig Tree Yard and, almost immediately, we started to gain height through a narrow iron staircase forged in the mid 1700s.

A vertiginous feeling took hold of us on the way up inside this 400-hundred-year-old construction.

We learned that the cathedral features a mixture of architectural styles, such as Classic and American Baroque. On the tower edges, statues of musician angels holding trumpets and wearing skirts made of feathers arising from the native or Amerindian culture stand out.

Before accessing the top of the belfry, we stopped for a moment over the main hall roof of this imposing structure. Below, the remains of Dean Funes, Fray Mamerto Esquiu, General José María Paz and his wife Margarita Wilde rest in peace.

We observed the steel figure of the Redeemer in astonishment. It was made in Paris in 1901 and brought to our country in three different parts in order to assemble it more easily.

We had a look at the main aisle from under the first stained glass window in the cathedral (the one representing Christ’s resurrection). Ariel told us that that magnificent piece had been made by well-known painter Emilio Caraffa. Born in Córdoba, he tried to explain the union of the old and new world through images. In the background, we found the image of the second stained glass window, which features the image of the Sacred Heart. By then, we could hardly believe that we were standing on the cathedral itself.

Afterwards, we reached the top of the belfry without hesitation. From its tiny interior, the new perspective of the urban scenery captivated our sight. We watched the bells carefully and learned their names and the dates on which they were built. The bells have been named after the shape of their resonance box. Thus, we found the small bell built in 1806, the large bell dating from 1817, the fat bell from 1879 and the thin bell from 1890.

Temptation was strong. We asked for permission and rang each of them with their corresponding clappers. Never again would we have the chance of ringing the bells that once announced the most important events in our country, such as the formation of our first Government or the declaration of Independence.

From another window, we appreciated the details of the main dome of the temple and its octagonal prism, used to let light in. At the end of the tour, we were more than pleased by such an experience.