j|7|5- The architeft' is profeffor Don Joa. Joefca, difciple of the lieutenanti.
,; general Don Francifco Savatini, firft architeft to His Catholic Majefty.
Don Joefca undertook to finilh and complete this building for feven
hundred thoufand dollars, and the Captain-General, .impreffed with a juft
idea o f the ufe and importance o f fuch an eftablifhment, was induced
to give his confent to the undertaking, as the calculation of the expence
bore, in his eftimation, no proportion to the advantages it would afterwards
infure, or the convenience it would afford. The architeft, however,
feems to have been greatly miftaken in the money which he ftated
the building would coft, as the Prelident affured me, he was clearly o f
opinion, that it would require a million and an half o f dollars to be expended
on the edifice before it could be completely finilhed.
There is a fmall hill, about twelve quadras diftant from the principal
fquare, in the grounds belonging to the religious of the Dominician
order, which is called St. Domingo. This hill contains a quarry of free-
ftone, of a w-hitilh colour, foft, and eafily worked by the chiffel. The
vicinity of this hill to the city, and the facility with which the ftones
were to be procured from the quarry, induced the Bilhop Don Juan
Gonzales de Melgarejo to begin the laborious undertaking of building
a cathedral; for which purpofe he gave forty-three thoufand dollars
towards its ereftion, and laid the firft ftone o f the edifice on the firft
day of jul-y, 1748. At this time there was not an artift in the kingdom
o f Chili to whofe ability a work of this defcription could be entrufted, for
which reafon no particular plan was adhered to, and the architefture
feems to be a medley of -whatever occurred to the perfons who fuperin-
tended its conftruftion. The principal front is to the eaft; that, fide
which communicates with the epifcopal palace is to the fouth, and the
north front runs parallel to the ftreet. The length of the building is
about one hundred and twenty yards, its breadth is not lefs than thirty-
five, and the height o f the middle aifle is eighteen yards.
It was not until after thirty years were expired, that application was
made to Madrid for a flcilful profeflional perfon to fuperintend the completion
of this edifice. In the year 1778, Don Joefca, the architeft employed
in
in building the money-houfe, was appointed to this office, and, fortu- Ws-
nately, at this time, the principal front was not begun. The plans he
drew were fubmitted to the then prelate, Don Manuel de Alday; and, on
the firft day of march, in the year 1780, this artift took upon himfelf the
charge of the building, which, at this time, wanted only five arches to
reach the line of the principal front; the elevation of which, I was-
given to underftand, is a clofe imitation- of St. John de Lateran, and
according to the defigns of the famous Barromini. There are three
doors in this fide, embellifhed with columns of the Ionic order; within
is a handfome ftaircafe, that leads to light and elegant towers, which
add greatly to the beautiful appearance of this front. The cathedral
contains ten altars, and, although they appeared to have been con-
ftrufted without regard to any rule o f proportion, yet they are well
worthy of attention. The columns and pilafters of each are an excellent
imitation of jafper; thefe are green, the pedeftals are red, the cornices
yellow, the bafes and capitals are gilt, and the whole together produces
a very good effeft. The colour of the ftone, with which this edifice
is built, refembles that of the Portland ftone of England; but whether
it is of the fame durability, or not, time only will determine. The
workmanlhip of the mafon appeared to us to be ill executed, as few of
the edges of the ftones were fo neatly wrought as to fit with exaftnefs.
Spires and other church ornaments, we were given to underftand, were
intended to be erefted, but the time when the building would be finifh-
ed was not afcertained; the priefts, however, faid mafs in one part of it,
which was fufficiently eompleted for that purpofe.
A very large church is alfo conftrufting, under the direftion of the
fame architeft; this ftrufture is built with bricks, its front is of the
Doric order, with two large towers, in which confiderable knowledge of
beauty and proportion feems to have been difplayed. The infide of
this church is of the Ionic order, it contains three ailles and {even
chapels.
The gaols o f the city having fallen' into decay fome years ago, and
becoming infecure for the confinement of prifoners, a large building, of
the Tufcan order, was erefted, and appropriated to this purpofe. This
V o 1,.- III. 3 L ftrufture