Chapel of the Tabernacle

When Seville was reconquered on 23 November 1248 after a long period of Almohad domination, a decision was taken that would have major historical repercussions: to keep the relatively new Aljama mosque standing as a place of Christian worship. For over 150 years, the city maintained what we now call the 'Almohad cathedral' as its main Christian temple. Construction of the cathedral began in 1401 and concluded in 1507 when it was officially opened. The Gothic temple was erected on the site of the previous Aljama mosque, reaching a colossal height. Hence the famous phrase: 'Let us build a temple such that those who come after us will think us mad'. The cathedral still preserves the minaret of the old mosque, transformed into a bell tower: the Giralda. At 94.69 meters high, it is now the symbol of the city. 
Seville Cathedral is the first Gothic temple and the third largest cathedral in the world (after St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican and St Paul's Cathedral in London). In 1987 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, together with the Alcázar of Seville and the Archive of the Indies. 

Outside the Cathedral is the Patio de los Naranjos, a charming rectangular courtyard with orange trees. This area has a unique architectural structure: the shorter sides of the rectangle are adorned with seven arches, while the longer sides have thirteen arches arranged in two rows of six, with an imposing central arch known as the Puerta del Perdón. 

On the side of the façade, which closes off the orange tree courtyard, stands the Chapel of the Tabernacle, a veritable church in its own right, which underwent a major restoration in 2023 due to structural problems with the building. 

To reinforce the spatial characteristics of the interior, the lighting design was fundamental. In addition to achieving significant energy savings, it was necessary to create a flexible and easy-to-use switching management system to respond to the complex programme of uses, both for the various liturgical celebrations and the extensive hours dedicated to cultural visits. 
All these requirements were met using the Linealuce, Tecnica Evo and Underscore LED luminaire ranges, along with the company's management software. Linealuce recessed luminaires with wall grazing optics and upward emission highlight the grandeur of the two side walls of the church, which is further enhanced when combined with the general lighting of the domes provided by Tecnica Evo and Underscore. 

The presence of four monumental sculptural groups, facing each other in pairs, is strongly emphasised by Tecnica Evo projectors with spot optics positioned on the cornices of the first level. 
The same projectors also create the spectacular lighting of the large dome of the transept, crowned by its cusped lantern. Tecnica Evo projectors with wide flood, flood and spot optics were used to illuminate the main altarpiece, balancing their luminous fluxes to obtain an average illuminance of 450lux on the altarpiece. Finally, a group of Tecnica Evo projectors positioned on the upper cornices of the transept provides the presbytery with a repertoire of lighting effects for the different needs of worship. 

All this is easily and effectively managed from a mobile phone or tablet with different levels of access to management, from a simple list of scenes to a more complex use of lighting resources for groups and related intensity settings, thanks to the Quick-BLE control system.