You can’t tell a book by its cover, and although the cathedral’s exterior is rather austere, inside it displays different architectural styles that create some very beautiful spaces.
The oldest cloister dates back to the 15th century and was originally built in a Gothic style based on plans drawn up by Agustín Bernardino, a favoured protégé of Juan Herrera.
You will be taken aback by the elegant dome inside the co-cathedral: its 45 metre height doesn’t fail to impress. Of particular significance is the Communion chapel, considered one of the very best and most beautiful examples of Spanish Baroque. The cloister doorways and the chapel of San Nicolás, patron of the city, follow the same architectural style. This chapel houses an image of the saint and was designed by Juan de Villanueva.
As well as the church itself, the building includes a sacristy and its anteroom, a chapter house and a quadrangular cloister. The Communion chapel was built in the 18th century with a floor plan in the shape of a Greek cross and it stands out from the rest of the church because of its ornamentation. In the lower part of the co-cathedral you will find the reliquary bust of Santa Felicitas of Alicante, escorted by her fellow patron saints San Roque and San Francisco Javier on either side.
Visitors should also take a look at the wonderful 16th-century organ, the oldest in the entire Valencia region. What is more, the co-cathedral has beautiful altarpieces by some of the great artists of the 16th and 17th centuries.
If you need somewhere to park, you may like to use the Saba public car park on Avenida Maisonnave, just a few metres away from the Co-Cathedral of San Nicolás.
