Real Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor (Antequera)
The collegiate church Real Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor in the south of the city of Antequera in Andalusia is one of the numerous collegiate churches of the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance in Spain .
history
The Bishop of Málaga, Diego Ramírez de Villaescusa , received papal permission in 1503 to convert the small Iglesia de Santa María de la Esperanza in Antequera into a collegiate church. But it was not until 1514 that the old church building was torn down and the new building work began, which was to last until 1550.
architecture
West facade
The west facade of the church has an overall renaissance character, but other details (tripartite portal, buttresses with pinnacles, etc.) are reminiscent of a Gothic church. The outer of the three portals are significantly smaller than the main portal, resulting in a triumphal arch scheme; the outer arches of the side portals, however, are higher than the middle one. There is no sculpture decoration at all; Above the portals there is a peculiar blend of architecture consisting of three-arched arcades that are combined to form gate-like structures. Also unusual is the gable front, which is set back behind a parapet wall, which is unprecedented in Spain. The middle gable is broken by a three-part window with oculi above , which illuminates the nave of the church.
Interior
The three-aisled interior of the non-vaulted church is supported by channeled columns with Ionic capitals, which give the room an almost temple-like flair. The north aisle wall is opened by side chapels with altars; each of the chapels has a different vault. The flat end of the choir is converted into a semicircle at the top by two pendentives , which is spanned by decorative star vaults. The original wooden roof trusses in the nave of the church with their openwork tie rods are among the masterpieces of their kind.
Central nave with channeled columns and Side chapels
Central nave facing west
Wooden ceiling in the central nave
tower
The slender bell tower on the south side of the church, divided by several cornices, is not part of the original plan - it is an ingredient of the 17th century and ends in a bell house with a bell gable on top , which, however, only serves as an ornament.
Others
In the square in front of the church there is a statue of Pedro Espinosa (1578–1650), a poet and writer from the Spanish Baroque period who was born in Antequera and who spent several years at the 'High School for Grammar' ( La Colegial ) founded by the college. taught.
Web links
- Real Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor, Antequera - Photos + information (Spanish)
- Real Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor, Antequera - Photos
Coordinates: 37 ° 0 ′ 51 ″ N , 4 ° 33 ′ 22 ″ W.