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The first news of the alminar are since Abd-Al-Rahman III’s Period; as christian tower bell are in 1360 and they belong to graphic and plastic representations, or in the miniatures of the choir books. Though the first date appears on a bell in 1495 and it was made at the age of Bishop Don Íñigo Manrique.
In 1593 the Cabildo Catedralicio (Government of the Church) decides to renew the tower bell after having suffered many irregularities, because in 1521 a big storm hit the city. Since then the tower began a period of decadence, finding the eight side capital that crowned the bell of the clock, destroyed. The project was presented by Hernán Ruiz III, son and grandson of great masters.
The towers began in July 1593; this date is sure because a group of inspectors was called to supervise de state of ruin of this. The group of experts was composed by Main Master of Seville Cathedral, Asensio de Maeda, the homonym of our city Hernán Ruiz, Juan de Ochoa and Juan Coronado.
During the works there was a provisional tower, a wall with bells inside, this was made to continue the religious life without blocking the works of the tower bell. The second one and partly the first one was pulled down, having blinded all the windows. In this usy architect Hernán Ruiz III “wrapped” the original building with a thick wall till the part of the bells. A part with bells, which as on each side roman arch with two shouldered walls. Repeating the same with the porch of the part beyond the Choir of the Cathedral.
The works in the Transept of the Cathedral blocked partially the work in the tower bell. In fact in 1606 Hernán Ruiz III died in Arcos de the Frontera (Cadiz Province), he was building a bridge. So he couldn’t finish his work.
Till 1616, architect Juan Seguero de Matilla continues with the works. The Bishop Fray Diego Mardones commitment could finish the body of the clock. All the experts say that he followed Hernán Ruiz III steps: a tower crowned by a lantern made with of bricks, covered by half orange vault ended by balls (as in the muslim period). A year later, in 1617 the works finished.
Curiously in the middle of the XVII Century, 30 years later the tower was seriously damaged. In fact the Master Sebastián Vidal expressed his will to the Cabildo: the tower needs repairs. Then the Cabildo Catedralicio decides to call Gaspar de the Feria for the repairs. With his labour, the south and west sides of the Tower were strengh thened and the closed the original doors of the minaret on the eastern side, was assumed another decision to respect the Pardon Door, carrying out an discharge arch, that was put on an ancient pillar of the door and above another towards the court, that obliged to destroy the archs of the porch and substitute them for another wider. The works of the tower were changed so the initial decisions for the Pardon Door, integrating it in its initial position. In 1664 Gaspar de Peña added a lartern to the “body” of the bells above it, a Saint Raphael Archangel is put. This last was made by Pedro de la Paz and Bernabé Gomez Del Río.
In 1727 a storm destroyed part of Saint Raphael Archangel Podium. A few years later, the Lisboa earthquake, in 1755, the building was shaken, and numerous elements fell down. Baltasar Drevetor restored the tower in eight years.
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