Santa María la Blanca
The Catholic Church of Santa María la Blanca in the Spanish city of Toledo was originally built as the Ibn Shushan synagogue . The synagogue, which was converted into a Catholic church, now serves as a museum.
history
More than 12,000 Jews lived in Toledo in the 12th century and their synagogues were influenced by Moorish art.
According to an inscription, the synagogue was built in 1180, but it was probably not until the 13th century that it got its current appearance. After the attacks on the Jewish quarter ( judería or barrio judío ) in 1355 and 1391 and the emigration of many Jews to other countries in Europe and North Africa, it was handed over to the Calatrava order in 1405 and converted into a Catholic church. It was then that it was given the current name Santa María la Blanca ('the white one'), inspired by the white plastered horseshoe arches inside that support the artesonado ceiling.
architecture
The former synagogue, completely inconspicuous in its exterior, was built from brick and quarry stone in the Mudejar style . Only inside does the splendor of its architecture become apparent: the walls and pillars are completely plastered, while the higher wall segments contain small columns and rich geometric stucco decoration.
A renovation in the 16th century changed the head of the choir , but the rest of the building retained the appearance of a representative mosque from the Almohad period .
The five naves are separated by arcades with horseshoe arches and rest on 24 octagonal pillars, the core of which is made of brick. The monolithic capitals, which are almost unique in their design, consist of pine cones and other vegetal décor, which is crossed by straight wickerwork ribbons.
See also
literature
- All of Toledo. Editorial Escudo de Oro, Barcelona 1988, ISBN 84-378-0479-5 , pp. 41-42.
- Ernst Cohn-Wiener : The Jewish Art. Your story from the beginning to the present. Zweiausendeins, Frankfurt am Main 1996, ISBN 3-86150-151-1 , pp. 137ff.
Web links
- Santa María la Blanca - Photos + Info (Spanish)
Coordinates: 39 ° 51 '25 " N , 4 ° 1' 49.6" W.