In the sixteenth century the Chapter of the Cathedral commissioned the retrochoir. Then in mid eighteenth century, the choir changed its original location of the sanctuary to the area currently occupied.
To achieve the necessary gathering of its occupants during the services, the arch of retrochoir hollow was covered with large wooden doors.
In the summer of 1912 the third Earl of Cerragería Don José Manuel de Cerragería and Cabanillas, accompanied by his mother, Doña Antonia de Cabanilles and visited the city Federici Lion. In his tour of the city and enter the cathedral were struck by its luminosity and spaciousness. But he also saw something that remained part of the light and openness. He realized that the doors that closed the choir as well as being unsightly could not see the nave in all its glory.
So I proposed to the council to replace wooden doors with a glass, paid for it. The solution adopted was to divide the surface of the hole in three parts, according to the scheme had: a fixed covering the arch and two sliding doors that open do crawling sideways on a track so that once opened are hidden between the wall of retrochoir and choir stalls.
In addition, to protect them there was a gate in the gilt bronze designed by Manuel de Cardenas and the priest materialized Spaniard Felix Granda .
The English and American Illustration, June 30, 1915 The balustrade to a height of one meter and a half and five meters wide, consists of two doors that open outward and have the upper ends of San Marcelo figures leaning on the arms of Leon and San Isidoro that makes the family crest Cerragería. In the middle is the coat of José Alvarez and Miranda, Bishop of Leon in those years.
 San Marcelo |  San Isidoro |
Also, traveling across its width are two Latin texts taken from the verse 7 of Psalm 23 and verse 2 of Psalm 86 of the Book of Psalms: " ATTOLLITE PORTAS, PRINCES, Vestra, ET ELEVAMINI Portão Aeternal - DOMINUS Diligite PORTAS JACOB ZION TABERNACLE SUPER OMNIA.
On the sides, below the figures of San Marco and San Isidoro, there are two inserts in the referred inter alia to date, the architect and the generous donor of the work.
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In late July of 1915 work began on the installation of the windows and the fence in place, inaugurated the work on August 15, 1915, Feast of the Assumption. That day was held in the cloister of the cathedral ceremony of the forum or offer and at the end of it all the civil and religious authorities entered the cathedral and walking the aisle, stopped in front of the new fence where the bishop blessed. Then opened and the whole procession agreed to the nave and the altar through it.
Currently only open those doors when celebrating a wedding at the cathedral, and is made exclusively for passing the wedding entourage. (If anyone is particularly interested in going through them, you know ...)
