Bishop pushes to finish Malaga Cathedral

SEVERAL hundred years after construction of Malaga Cathedral started Bishop, Jesus Catala, has announced that he plans push for its completion.

Malaga Cathedral, known as ‘La Manquita’ (freely translated as ‘Little One-Arm) has only one of the two towers which were planned in its original design.

This is because the money needed to complete it, which was obtained from taxes from exporting natural raw materials, was re-routed to the United States during the American Revolutionary War, which took place between 1775 and1783.

Over the years, there has been much controversy over whether or not the second tower should be build, with some people saying that it would be a waste of money, while others believe it would be more attractive.

In any case, the tower is not a priority for the Bishopric, which plans first to give it a larger vestry, as planned in the 18th century, and repair the roof in order to keep the cathedral in optimal condition for holding mass and other events. The current vestry is actually meant to be the vestibule.

The Mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, is also in favour of the cathedral being completed, as are other authorities who have a say in the decision, although the Junta de Andalucia says special permits will be needed as the cathedral is classified as a monument.