Iglesia Parroquial Santiago el Mayor (Belalcázar)
The parish church Iglesia Parroquial Santiago el Mayor (German parish church of St. James the Elder ) was founded in Belalcázar in 1272 . It seems that initially a much smaller church was planned, later this was replaced by a larger church. The corresponding work is attributed to a Hernán Ruiz II , even if other builders may have been involved in the work due to the long construction period. Indeed, the name of Juan de Ochoa has been recorded for some later constructions.
history
Construction began in 1559 and was only halfway completed thirty years later. The construction could not be completed until the 17th century. Therefore, the facade, tower and roof only date from this period. Given this chronology, it is understandable why the medieval style, which was widespread up to the 16th century, is little noticeable in the church. During the construction, specifications of the Council of Trento were implemented, which demanded greater spatial unity and thus better sight and better hearing. Therefore, the church was laid out with a large central nave and side chapels between the buttresses.
architecture
Inside, much of the original masonry is hidden. All you can see is the simple vaulted ceiling and a semicircular exedra . Instead, the beautiful portals from the 16th century that have been preserved at the entrance to the side chapels catch the eye. The exterior appears very spectacular with a wide side gallery interrupted by a series of buttresses, like a Catalan Gothic church. At the foot of the wall, the simple facade ends in a graceful body in a classicist bell shape. This structure is known as the "Serliana Scheme". Connections to the construction of the bell tower of the Cathedral of Cordoba and to the construction of the church "San Juan Bautista" in Hinojosa del Duque are obvious and Juan de Ochoa is believed to be the author of these. The tower is unfinished, it has probably only reached half of its planned height. A deep niche opens beneath the tower and dominates the portal. Two Ionic columns support the pediment, which is decorated with small volutes . This construction method makes the church an important testimony to Cordobese architecture of the 17th and 18th centuries.
meaning
Among the privileges of the Church are indulgences, which Pius IV approved on May 15, 1564 at the request of Fray Miguel de Medina from Belalcázar. They are granted to visitors on the Assumption of Mary and the dedication festival in San Miguel .
The municipality's jurisdiction also includes two Franciscan monasteries from the 15th century, both of which were founded by the Counts of Belalcazar.
literature
- Mancomunidad de Los Pedroches: Los Pedroches. Mancomunidad de Municipios, Cordoba. Guia Turistica 1998. CO-1,388-1998.
Web links
- Homepage of the Diocese of Cordoba.
- Blog with posts about history.