OLD SILO OF THE CATHEDRAL COUNCIL

The Old Silo of the Cathedral Council (Antigua Cilla del Cabildo de la Catedral) is an 18th century building that stands on Santo Tomás Street in Seville. Throughout its history it has undergone various remodeling in relation to the different uses it has received. Currently it is the headquarters of the General Archive of the Indies, a condition it shares with the Antigua Lonja de Mercaderes, which stands just across the street.

Its construction took place in 1770 to serve as a grain warehouse for the Cathedral Chapter. Apparently, the place they had been using for this purpose was seriously damaged in the 1755 Earthquake, so it was necessary to undertake this project. There is no certainty about the architect who directed the work. Some authors point to Pedro de Silva, who was the chief architect of the Archbishopric. However, the Navarrese Lucas Cintora is also mentioned, who would later be mainly responsible for the transformations in the Lonja building to adapt it to its new use as an Archive.

For the construction of the façade, a fragment of the wall that joined the Alcázar with the Torre del Oro was used. In fact, even today we find one of the towers attached to the façade of the building. It is a simple square tower, dating from the late 12th century or early 13th century.

La Cilla lost its use as a warehouse in the 20th century and for a short period was the headquarters of the Royal Asturian Mines Company. In 1972 it was decided to completely renovate the property to make it the headquarters of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Seville. The architect from Cádiz Rafael Manzano Martos was in charge of directing the works on this occasion.

A new stage in the history of the old cilla would begin around the year 2000, when the process began to incorporate it as a complementary headquarters for the General Archive of the Indies. The works were completed in 2005 and the building was then configured with its current characteristics.

La Cilla was originally designed as a rectangular building with two floors. The naves are covered with hollow vaults supported by rectangular pillars and marble columns. It currently has two more floors, one in the basement and another under the roof, added in successive transformations to adapt the property to a museum and, later, an archive.

The façade repeats the compositional scheme of the Lonja building that is located directly opposite. La Lonja responds to the design of the great Renaissance architect Juan de Herrera and introduced a bichrome on its façade that was enormously successful in Seville.

We see this bichrome repeated on the façade of the cilla, with the stone areas in lighter tones and the brick facings with a more reddish color. The two floors of the building are divided into seven equal modules divided by pilasters. In the central module of the first floor there is a simple lintel doorway. Right above it, already on the second floor, is sculpted the emblem of the Cathedral Chapter, the Giralda between two jars of lilies. Above the emblem is a simple oculus that serves to distinguish this central module, since in all the others rectangular windows framed by simple stone moldings open.

The old Cilla del Cabildo was declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1985 and is currently home to the Reference Department, the Library, a conference room, the research room and other services of the General Archive of the Indies.

CHURCH OF THE SAVIOR

by Manuel Hellín

The Church of the Divine Savior of Seville is the second largest temple in the city, only after the Cathedral. It is one of the great architectural jewels of the city and inside it houses a magnificent sculpture collection, with works by the most prominent authors of the Sevillian baroque. As a result of its long and complex history, a huge and majestic temple with three naves has been created. The transept stands out noticeably in height over the rest, although it is not perceptible in the floor plan of the building, which is called a living room.

History

We know that in the space it occupies today was the so-called mosque of Ibn Adabbas, created around 830 as the aljama or main mosque of the city. It held this rank until the new great mosque was built in the 12th century, on the site now occupied by the Cathedral.

Some elements of the mosque that was located in El Salvador have been preserved, such as part of its patio and the beginning of its minaret, which corresponds to the lower part of the tower that we find at the northern end, on Córdoba Street.

Once the city was conquered by the Christians in 1248, the mosque was used as a church, although maintaining the essentials of its structure. It remained this way for centuries, with the architectural characteristics of an Islamic temple but serving for Christian worship, as continues to happen today, for example, with the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba.

However, when the 17th century arrived, it seems that its condition was quite ruinous and it was decided to build a new temple. Work began around 1674, but when the vaults were being closed, a resounding collapse occurred that forced a good part of the project to be rethought.

Leonardo de Figueroa, the best architect of the Sevillian baroque, who also intervened in other projects such as San Luis de los Franceses or La Magdalena, was eventually entrusted with directing the works. In this case, Figueroa was in charge of closing the vaults, building the large dome and finishing the interior of the building. The works were not completed until 1712.

Courtyard and Tower

Today you can see some remains of the old mosque in the current Patio de los Naranjos, where some of the columns that surrounded the primitive ablution patio are preserved in situ. Some of them have Roman and Visigoth origin, and their depth makes it clear that the height of the mosque was much lower than that of the current church.

The base of the bell tower, between the patio and Córdoba Street, was also the original minaret of the mosque, completely altered on its upper floors by successive renovations. The upper part that we can see today was added by Leonardo de Figueroa at the end of the 17th century.

Capilla de los Desamparados

At the western end of the patio is the Chapel of Cristo de los Desamparados, a small rectangular temple that was built in the mid-18th century, under the direction of one of Leonardo Figueroa's sons, Matías or Ambrosio. Sources differ in this regard.

The interior is covered by two elliptical vaults, the one closest to the main altar being crowned by a lantern. Its walls are profusely decorated with baroque mural paintings and a series of niches open on the sides as side altars. In one of them is located the Virgen del Prado, a dress image made by the image maker Sebastián Santos in 1949, who is the owner of his own brotherhood of glory.

The main altarpiece is occupied by the image of the Cristo de los Desamparados, owner of the chapel, a crucified by an anonymous author that has been dating back to the 16th century.

Church Facade

As for the church itself, the main façade has very classic baroque lines and Italian influence, close to Renaissance forms. The succession of stone pilasters and reddish brick panels achieve the classic bichrome that is so characteristic of many Sevillian buildings since the Lonja, today the Archive of the Indies, was built in the 16th century.

Despite its monumentality, the Salvador façade stands out for its scarce decoration, which contrasts greatly with the interior.

It is organized into three streets separated by pairs of pilasters, which correspond to the three naves of the temple. In the first body there are three doors, with the central one larger than the side ones. They are framed in a very classic way, with pilasters supporting a lintel on which a second, much smaller body opens. Two angels on each lintel hold a shield with the representation of the "Agnus Dei". On the main portal, a globe crowned by a cross symbolizes the "Savior", while the side portals are crowned by the effigies of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

The Plateresque-style decoration that runs through the pilasters and some of the moldings is relatively recent, from the end of the 19th century. Two oculi framed by square molding open on the side portals.

In the second body, we find only the extension of the central street, framed again by pilasters, and with a large central oculus as the only decoration. On each side, there are two areas decorated with scrolls, very frequent elements in European religious architecture since the Renaissance. They have the function of softening the transition between the great width of the first body and the much smaller width of the second.

Behind these convoluted spaces are hidden two buttresses that seem to serve to support the weight of the walls of the central nave. It should be noted that these elements are traditionally linked to Gothic architecture and not to Baroque. In the case of El Salvador they are especially interesting since they apparently do not fulfill any structural function due to their position. It has been pointed out by several authors that the inclusion of buttresses would simply be due to a symbolic interest, that of highlighting the importance of the church as a collegiate temple by introducing this type of elements traditionally linked to a type of "cathedral" architecture. This is how José María Medianero Hernández explains it in an article dedicated to the survival of flying buttresses in Lower Andalusian architecture:

“The general compositional role does not appear to be fortunate given its setback composition with respect to the aforementioned lateral additions ending in volutes and its only functionality seems to be established in the mission of conducting the discharge of water. Of course, this trivial problem could have been solved in a simpler way. Perhaps the most plausible explanation is the recurrence to an emblematic motif of a collegiate temple with cathedral aspirations, desires and pretensions that architecturally transcend the packaging and elegance of the building.

Dome

The dome is the most recognizable element of the church of El Salvador, especially when the temple is viewed from a distance. It was built in 1709-1710 following the design and direction of Leonardo de Figueroa, an architect who created other masterful domes in Seville, among which those of the Magdalena and San Luis de los Franceses stand out.

In the case of El Salvador, it is a hemispherical dome on an octagonal drum. It has a height of more than 40 meters and a width of more than 10 meters. The elevated drum serves to highlight the dome above the rest of the church's roofs and eight windows open on its sides, crowned by alternating curved and straight pediments.

The domes of the church of El Escorial and the Clerecía of Salamanca have been noted as antecedents, both indebted to the dome designed by Bernini for the church of Castelgandolfo.

Inside

The church has a rectangular or hall floor plan, as it does not form the classic Latin cross shape so common in Christian churches. It is divided into three naves, the central one being higher and wider than the side ones. Although the church does not have side chapels, but rather altars, some spaces are attached to the main body of the floor, such as the old baptismal chapel, the sacramental chapel and the sacristy.

The vaults are supported by colossal square pillars to which are attached columns of composite order and richly sculpted shafts. The roof is made with a barrel vault in the central nave and the transept, and a groin vault in the side naves.

The sculptural decoration runs through the stone parts of the interior of the temple, such as the shafts of the columns or the spandrels of the arches. It is mostly plant decoration, scrolls and other baroque motifs. We also frequently see the royal coat of arms, especially in the keystones of the transverse arches, an element that had the purpose of emphasizing to the Cathedral chapter the fact that the church was a royally founded collegiate church. We also find decoration in the pendentives that support the dome, in which the busts of the four evangelists are located in medallions surrounded by profuse ornamentation.

Main Altarpiece

The church is dominated by an imposing baroque altarpiece, made between 1770 and 1779 by the Portuguese sculptor Cayetano de Acosta. It is a masterpiece of Sevillian altarpiece art that has sometimes been called "the last great altarpiece of the Spanish Baroque." The decorative profusion makes it difficult to distinguish the architectural structure of the altarpiece. In its center the scene of the Transfiguration of the Lord is represented, the moment in which Christ is present after the Resurrection on Mount Tabor. He is accompanied by Moses and Elijah, as representatives of the Old Testament and, on a lower level, the apostles Peter, James and John prostrate themselves in admiration. The central figure of Christ adopts a posture that has been related to the colossal Longinus that Bernini sculpted for St. Peter in the Vatican and is framed by a large scallop. The rest of the altarpiece is motley with countless figures of cherubs, angels and archangels. On the bench there are reliefs with representations of the Fathers of the Church and in the center we find a Tabernacle-Manifestator, crowned by an Immaculate Conception. In the attic, the figure of God the Father presides over the entire complex, emphasized by large golden sparkles behind him.

The hemispherical vault over the presbytery is decorated by tempera paintings that Juan de Espinal made at the end of the 18th century. It represents heavenly glory, with the Holy Spirit in the center, and through optical effects such as a fake balustrade, it manages to give the impression that it is a higher vault than it really is.

Organ

Above the main entrance to the church, there is today an imposing wooden organ, made by Juan de Bono and Manuel Barrera at the end of the 18th century. This organ was located in the center of the temple, in the choir area that opened in front of the High Altar. Collegiate churches were required to have their own choir, as is the case with cathedrals. A brilliant musical career developed in this temple since the 16th century, with such outstanding figures as the organist Correa de Arauxo, called "the Spanish Bach." In 1861 the collegiate character of the church was removed, the choir area was eliminated and the organ was moved to its current location. Even today, it is considered one of the best organs in Andalusia and is immersed in a restoration process.

Also magnificent is the altarpiece of the Virgin of the Waters, on the right side of the transept, a work by José Maestre from 1731 presided over by this Marian image of the so-called “fernandinas”, dating back to the 13th century but much remodeled later. These are just two examples of the large collection of altarpieces that this church houses.

And the representation in the temple of great masters of sculpture is exceptional. In all probability, the two great figures of the Sevillian baroque are Juan Martínez Montañés and his disciple Juan de Mesa.

Of the first, El Salvador preserves a colossal sculpture of Saint Christopher, reminiscent of Michelangelo for its monumentality and beauty. But the most outstanding work of this author in El Salvador is surely Our Father Jesus of the Passion, a moving image of the Lord with the cross on his back, which wonderfully shows the classicism of Montañés's baroque, managing to convey all the feeling and the emotion of the moment, but in a contained, elegant and solemn way. It presides over the silver altarpiece of the Sacramental Chapel and goes out in procession every Holy Thursday. We are not exaggerating when we say that it is one of the most successful representations of Jesus the Nazareth of the Spanish Baroque.

From the other great master of Sevillian baroque, Juan de Mesa, we find the Christ of Love, who also processions from this temple during Holy Week, this time during Palm Sunday. It is an exceptional carving of a crucified man, already dead, with a masterful treatment of the anatomy, hair and cloth. An exceptional work within the production of its author, which seems to have taken into account for its creation the model that his teacher Montañés made a few years before with the Christ of Clemency that we found in the Cathedral.

Along with these masters, the list of great artists with works in this church of the Savior is almost countless. We could cite, for example, Duque Cornejo, José Montes de Oca or Antonio Quirós. But for now we finish here this small sketch about the authentic living museum of Sevillian baroque that is the old schoolhouse of El Salvador. We will tell more in future installments.

And remember that if you are interested in taking a guided tour so as not to miss any of the details, you can contact us by any means you prefer from this website.

: Retablo – portada de la Capilla Sacramental (Cayetano de Acosta, c. 1760)

: Retablo de la Capilla Sacramental. Ntro. Padre Jesús de la Pasión (Martínez Montañés, c. 1615)

: Retablo del Cristo del Amor. El Cristo es de Juan de Mesa, de hacia 1619

: Retablo de la Virgen de las Aguas (José Maestre, 1731). La Virgen es anónima del siglo XIII, muy reformada posteriormente

: Retablo de San Fernando. El Rey Santo es de Antonio Quirós (1699)

: Retablo de la Virgen del Rocío. La Virgen es copia del original almonteño realizada por Sebastián Santos en 1952

: San Cristóbal (Martínez Montañés, 1597)

: Santa Ana enseñando a leer a la Virgen (José Montes de Oca, 1714)

CHURCH OF SAN LUIS DE LOS FRANCESES

by Manuel Hellín

History

It is the church of the old novitiate of the Company of Jesus in Seville. Its works began in 1699 and continued until its consecration in 1731. Leonardo de Figueroa was the architect in charge, although it seems that the plan of the project, with a marked Italian character, was imposed by the Company. Its similarity has been noted with the plan of Santa Agnese in Rome, the work of the architects Girolamo and Carlo Raimaldi some fifty years earlier. Other architects also participated in its construction, such as Matías de Figueroa, son of Leonardo, or Diego Antonio Díaz, to whom the finishing of the towers is attributed.

Outside

The exterior façade has two horizontal bodies divided by five vertical modules, with the central one accentuated by its greater decorative profusion. In addition, it is finished with a trilobed pediment on which the figures of the three archangels appear. The entire façade shows the traditional bichrome of the Sevillian baroque, with the facings in painted brick and the stone pilasters and decorative stone elements.

At the ends of the façade there are two robust bell towers with an octagonal section, decorated with sculptures of the Evangelists. Both flank the monumental hemispherical dome, set on a drum, covered with glazed tiles and crowned by a lantern.

Inside

The interior of the temple transmits in an unmatched way the sensation of exuberance and decorative profusion of the Baroque, with a perfect symbiosis between architecture, sculpture and painting. Attached to the buttresses that support the dome are monumental Solomonic columns with golden composite capitals that accentuate the feeling of dynamism of the space.

The main altarpiece is the work of Pedro Duque Cornejo and is dated around 1730. It is a true compendium of baroque elements, with paintings, sculptures, relics and architectural elements arranged to form a motley ensemble, without any ordered structure. At the top, it is covered by a large canopy that shelters the whole like a canopy, crowned by a large royal crown.

The two altarpieces on the side arms, dedicated to San Francisco de Borja and San Estanislao de Kostka, are also due to Duque Cornejo. Both consist of an identical structure, with a bench, a central body divided into three streets, and an attic. In the central niches are the sculptures of the owners and on the sides a series of canvases that allude to them, the work of Domingo Martínez.

In the four buttresses that support the dome there are four smaller altarpieces, but with a similar structure and decorative exuberance. Saint Francis Xavier, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint John Francis of Regis and Saint Louis Gonzaga are dedicated.

Domestic Chapel

In addition to the church, within the premises of San Luis de los Franceses there is another space of enormous artistic value called the "domestic chapel". It has a single nave, covered by a barrel vault with lunettes and transverse arches, while the presbyter area is covered by an elliptical vault. The altarpiece is also the work of Duque Cornejo, from around 1730, and includes a profusion of Jesuit saints. Among the numerous sculptures, it is worth highlighting an Immaculate Conception that stands above the Tabernacle in a style very close to that of Gregorio Fernández.

The entire chapel is profusely decorated. On the walls there are a series of paintings of the apostles, interspersed with reliquaries and a set of Flemish bronzes on the life of the Virgin. Equally rich is the pictorial decoration of the presbytery and the vaults, works by Domingo Martínez and his workshop.

CHURCH OF SAN ISIDORO

by Manuel Hellín

History

We do know that its construction must have begun in the first third of the 14th century, since the cover on the Epistle side is closely linked to that on the side of the Gospel of Saint Anne of Triana, for which the chronology is documented. In this way, both would be among the oldest churches in the city. Furthermore, the urban area in which it is located is the highest with respect to the river and, therefore, the one with the oldest settlement. The forum of Roman Hispalis has traditionally been located in its vicinity, although it is true that without any archaeological basis.

Since the Christian conquest, wealthy families from the city settled in this area and merchants of the most diverse origins settled there from the 16th century onwards. In this way, San Isidoro will be a "rich" parish and this has an inevitable reflection in the architecture and ornament of the temple.

The original 14th century building was notably altered between the 16th and 17th centuries, mainly in the presbytery area. Also in the 18th century, reforms were undertaken, such as the construction of the chapels on the left side.

As it has come down to us, San Isidoro is a rectangular church with three naves, a transept, a choir at the foot and side chapels, which are different in size, style and layout.

Outside

On the outside, the temple has three doors. The one located at the foot is very simple, in the Mudejar style. It consists of a slightly pointed arch framed by an alfiz. Apparently, the arch was initially horseshoe-shaped and was "simplified" to adopt its current appearance sometime between the 16th and 18th centuries.

The door that opens to the left side is the most recent, added in the 18th century in a neoclassical style. It is lintel, with two pilasters supporting a simple entablature. Next to it, we find the most ornamentally rich façade fragment in this church. This is the exterior part of the sacramental chapel, added as we said in the 18th century, which in some way functions as a separate façade. It is made of exposed brick, with a baroque style with very classic lines, and stands out for its reddish color, different from the rest of the temple. It is topped by a triangular pediment and in the center of the wall there is a lobed medallion with an allegorical scene of the “Adoration of the Holy Sacrament”.

Right at the other end, on the Epistle side, the other door opens, dated to the 14th century. It presents the classic forms of the Sevillian Gothic-Mudejar doorways. It consists of a pointed arch with archivolts, the two outermost ones at the top being decorated with geometric motifs: one with saw teeth and the other with diamond points. It is framed by a double alfiz, the first triangular and a larger square one.

At the apex of the triangular alfiz we find a sculpted star of David or Solomon, historically linked to the Hebrew religion. It is the only church in Seville in which we can see this element, which has been the subject of the most diverse interpretations. However, the truth is that this six-pointed star is a symbol that appears quite frequently in medieval religious buildings, apparently as an element of protection. In an article about this cover, Rafael Cómez tells us that "with a talismanic meaning and a spell against the forces of evil, the six-pointed star, inscribed in a circle, must have been made, which is shown to us on the cover of the nave of the Epistle. ".

Above this door, a bell tower was built much later, and already in the Baroque style, which preserves the 18th century tiles depicting Saint Isidore and Saint Leandro.

Inside

Inside, the naves are divided by pointed brick arches that rest on cruciform pillars. The roofs are wooden coffered ceilings in the Mudejar style, with the central trough shaped and the side ones hanging. As an exception, the transept is covered with a hemispherical dome on pendentives in its center and with barrel vaults on each of its sides.

The main altarpiece is mainly made up of an excellent canvas that represents the "Transit of San Isidoro", a work by Juan de Roelas from 1613. The frame-altarpiece that houses it is later; It was made around 1752 by Felipe del Castillo. The paintings in the vaults date from the mid-18th century and have been related to the work of Juan de Espinal. They represent fake architectures in which San Fernando and San Hermenegildo are framed.

To the left of the main chapel, at the head of the Gospel nave, is the Maestres chapel, which has an interesting tiled plinth original from the 17th century. A 19th-century neoclassical altarpiece houses the image of the Christ of the Blood, a moving Gothic carving from the mid-14th century. It is the oldest Crucified of those preserved in Seville, comparable only to the Christ of the Million in the Cathedral.

Just on the other side of the main altar, at the head of the Epistle nave, is the Villampando chapel, from the beginning of the 17th century, the date in which the tile plinths and the grille that closes it were made. It is presided over by a baroque altarpiece dedicated to Saint Albert.

On the wall of this same nave there is another baroque altarpiece, this time from the mid-18th century. In its center, an image of Saint Joseph from the same period, the work of José Montes de Oca.

On this right side the church has a single chapel, dedicated to the Virgin of Health. It is the most clearly Mudejar style. It has a hemispherical vault, decorated with geometric motifs and set on squinches. The image of the Virgin has been dated to the beginning of the 16th century, with a transitional style between Gothic and Renaissance. She is full size, although she is generally presented dressed in the baroque style.

On the other side of the church, in the Gospel nave, next to the entrance is the Chapel of Our Father Jesus of the Three Falls, the titular image of the brotherhood based in this church that processions every Good Friday. The Christ is a carving by Alonso Martínez from around 1667. The Virgin of Loreto is the image that accompanies him in this chapel and on his processional exit. It is an anonymous dressing room from the 18th century, although deeply renovated by Sebastián Santos in the mid-20th century. Although it is not found in this chapel, the brotherhood has another image of great value. This is the Cyrenean who helps Jesus with the cross on his path. It is a magnificent carving from 1687 by Francisco Antonio Gijón, an illustrious name in the history of Sevillian art, forever linked to the overwhelming "Puppy" of Triana. The Cirineo of San Isidoro is considered one of the best "secondary" carvings of Holy Week in the city and is generally located in the Epistle nave, close to the entrance.

The most prominent chapel of the church, and one of the most notable in the Sevillian baroque, is the sacramental chapel. It has its origins in the 16th century, the date on which the gate that closes it is dated, although as it has come down to us it is a work from the 18th century.

Above the access to the chapel there is a canvas with the "Allegory of the Eucharist", an interesting work attributed to Lucas Valdés. Once inside, the walls are covered with a series of canvases, mainly with themes related to the Eucharist, such as "The Transfer of the Ark of the Covenant" or "The Delivery of the Propitiation Bread", works also linked to the style by Lucas Valdes.

The cornices and upper part of the walls have a profuse decoration of plasterwork, which reproduces plant and architectural motifs, such as Solomonic columns.

But the element that attracts most attention in the chapel is its spectacular altarpiece, one of the most exuberant examples of Sevillian altarpieces. It is a work by Jerónimo Balbás and Pedro Duque Cornejo, made at the beginning of the 18th century by order of Juan Bautista Melcampo, a merchant of Flemish origin buried in the same chapel. The decorative profusion is such that it is difficult to distinguish the architectural structure. Countless child and youth angels intermingle with vegetal motifs, garlands, stipes and Solomonic columns in a motley and dazzling ensemble.

In the central niche, the Virgin of the Snows is venerated, a seated image that reproduces the scheme of the "Fernandine" Virgins, such as that of the Kings of the Cathedral or that of the Waters of El Salvador. However, it seems that that of San Isidoro is later, at least from the 16th century. On both sides are San Sebastián and San Roque.

In the center of the second body of the altarpiece there is a Child Jesus with the style of Juan Martínez Montañés. On his sides, Saint Thomas Aquinas and Saint Ignatius of Loyola, and above him the figure of God the Father appears from a medallion in an attitude of blessing.

MAESTRANZA BULLRING

by Manuel Hellín

The Plaza de la Maestranza in Seville is among the oldest in Spain and is the most important for the world of bullfighting, along with Las Ventas in Madrid. It has a capacity for 12,000 people and its construction lasted in different phases for more than a century, between 1761 and 1880, the date of the definitive completion of the works.

It is known that in this same neighborhood of Arenal, a previous bullring was built, mainly made of wood and square, which was demolished for the construction of the current one. The initial project is the work of architect Vicente San Martín, and the result was a beautiful complex in a late baroque style with a very classical air.

One of the most curious characteristics of the Maestranza is that its plan is not completely circular, but is "flattened" on one of its sides. This circumstance is due to the development of the works in different phases that we already mentioned and because the space between the Arenal hamlet was gradually opened, as they progressed.

The main façade was built in the first phase and was already completed in 1787. The famous Puerta del Príncipe is a semicircular arch flanked by marble columns, which support a central balcony. The balcony opening is in turn framed by pilasters and under a triangular pediment.

On both sides, the façade extends giving the sensation of having two wide towers as a frame for the main entrance. In the lower part, two smaller doors flank the main one, crowned by two mixtilinear pediments of curious shape. Two large oculuses open above them. Finishing off each side of the façade are hipped tile roofs.

The Royal or Prince's Box also corresponds to the first construction phase of the building. It consists of two bodies. In the first we find a lowered semicircular arch framed by two Ionic columns that support the box itself. On the upper level, the central arch is segmental and has a curious undulating profile. It is flanked by two Corinthian columns, which support a split curved pediment.

In its center is the royal shield, made by Cayetano de Acosta, who also sculpted the two allegorical figures that are on both sides. These are the allegories of the Po and Guadalquivir rivers, which are represented as bearded and reclining men. The allusion to the Italian river is not clear, but it is probably a reference to the Celtic-Ligurian people of the Taurines, who settled in the upper Po valley. Its capital was called Taurus, the name from which the current Turin derives, which still today has a bull as its symbol.

The lines of the plaza are divided into two levels, low and high. The tall steps are covered by a gabled tile roof that surrounds the entire square and is supported by semicircular arches perched on Tuscan marble columns.

The lower levels were subject to a thorough restoration in 1977, directed by Barquín Barón, who also prepared various auxiliary spaces for the installation of the bullfighting museum.

CHURCH OF SAN BARTOLOMÉ

by Manuel Hellín

After the pogrom of 1391, the synagogue located here was the only one that survived, since those located in Santa María la Blanca and in the current Plaza de Santa Cruz became Christian churches.

When the expulsion of the Jews was decreed in 1492, this synagogue suffered the same fate and the parish of Saint Bartholomew was moved here from a nearby location that we do not know exactly.

The primitive building was used as a Christian temple for several centuries, until in 1779, given its ruinous state, it was decided to demolish it and build the temple that has survived to this day. Therefore, unlike what happens in Santa María la Blanca, nothing remains in the current church of San Bartolomé of the synagogue that occupied this same place.

The works extended until the first years of the 19th century and were directed by José Echamorro, municipal architect of the Seville city council. It is a neoclassical style temple, with a Latin cross plan, three naves and chapels and side rooms.

The main access to the church is through the left side, through a simple neoclassical doorway, with Tuscan pilasters supporting an entablature, with a frieze of metopes and triglyphs and a straight triangular pediment. Just on the other side of the temple, on the epistle side, there is another doorway very similar to the main one in the structure but made of brick.

At the foot of the left side is the slender bell tower. Divided into two bodies, its elements also denote its neoclassical character, perhaps masked by its albero and almagra colors, so characteristic of Sevillian architecture. The body of bells is closed by four Ionic columns in the corners. It so happens that this level of the tower is exactly the same in design as what we can find in the towers of San Ildefonso, a temple that was built around the same time as that of San Bartolomé and under the direction of the same architect.

When looking at the tower, it is obvious that some type of finishing is missing from the top. Indeed, it was originally covered by a small dome with a countercurved profile, which collapsed twice. In the last restoration of the tower, its restitution was considered but was finally discarded for technical reasons.

Already inside the temple, the neoclassical air is emphasized by the absence of decoration and the white color of the walls and vaults. The wide naves are separated by arches on pillars. The central nave, notably higher, is covered with a barrel vault with lunettes, which allow the temple to be illuminated through the windows that open at its height. For their part, the side naves are covered by groin vaults.

At the foot of the temple is the high choir with its organ, arranged on a large lowered semicircular arch.

Above the transept, the large gallon dome stands out, with an octagonal drum in which four windows open that contribute to the feeling of clarity of the temple. The dome sits on pendentives, on which four Doctors of the Church are represented: Saint Ambrose, Saint Jerome, Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory.

The main altarpiece is neoclassical in style and dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. It is presided over by an image of Saint Bartholomew, owner of the temple, accompanied on both sides by Saint John Nepomuceno and Saint Cayetano. These are baroque carvings by an anonymous author, dating from the 17th century and therefore prior to the altarpiece. From the same period is the image of the Virgin with the Child that is located in the small temple above the Tabernacle. In the attic there is a theatrical representation of the Trinity flanked by angels.

To the left of the presbytery, at the head of the gospel nave, is the Chapel of the Virgin of Joy, with an attractive neoclassical silver altar. The image of the Virgin that presides over it has a legend that dates back its origins to no less than the 2nd century, although the truth is that it has been attributed to the 16th century sculptor Roque Balduque. It was profoundly remodeled in the 18th century and currently has great devotion among the neighborhood's residents. Flanking her on the altar are nineteenth-century sculptures of her parents, Saint Joachim and Saint Anne.

On the other side of the presbytery, at the head of the epistle nave, is the Sacramental Chapel, closed by an interesting wrought iron grille in which the gilded figures stand out. It is from the 17th century and therefore predates the church. The chapel has an altarpiece from around 1650 that, very unusual in Seville, is ungilded, showing the dark color of its wood. The "Piedad" style that we find in the center is also unusual in Seville. It is by an anonymous author and has been dated to the 16th century, although it is clearly influenced in style by Gothic models from northern Europe.

Accompanying her on the altarpiece are sculptures from the 17th century that represent Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint John of the Cross and Saint Anthony of Padua.

Among the remaining altarpieces of the church, the Cristo de las Ánimas stands out, on the right side. It is an altarpiece dated around 1740 structured with stipes, a very characteristic element of 18th century Sevillian altarpieces. The Crucified who presides is a moving and high-quality work that represents Christ already dead on the Cross. It was made at the end of the 16th century by Fernando de Uceda.

At its feet we find a Dolorosa made by Cristóbal Ramos in 1772. Apparently, it was originally conceived to be kneeling, until in the 19th century Juan de Astorga reformed it to its current position. Traditionally, the resemblance of this image to the Virgen de la Estrella (Virgin of the Star) of Triana has been highlighted, despite the fact that the Triana image is from a century earlier. This circumstance has caused it to sometimes be affectionately called the "Little Star" (Estrellita) of San Bartolomé.

CHURCH OF SAN NICOLAS DE BARI

by Manuel Hellín

The current temple of San Nicolás de Bari was built in the 18th century on the site of a previous 16th-century church, which in turn replaced a previous medieval one. The church is located next to what was one of the entrances to the Jewish quarter during the 13th and 14th centuries. It is a site linked to numerous traditions without archaeological confirmation. It is said, for example, that a Visigothic church was already located in this same place and that it could even survive as a Mozarabic temple during the Islamic period.

In any case, we know that the current church was blessed in 1758 and that a good part of its works were paid for by a patron from the neighborhood, Juan de Castañeda.

It is a temple with five naves, the only one we can find in Seville with this layout, with the exception of the cathedral.

To the outside, it has two entrances. The main one, at the foot, is framed by a simple cover in a baroque style with a very classic air. Two Tuscan-style pilasters support a split pediment, in the center of which is a niche with the image of Saint Nicholas, head of the temple. On both sides, the ceramic altarpieces of the holders of the Brotherhood of Candelaria are practically the only decorative motifs on the façade.

As for the side cover, on the left side, it presents characteristics very similar to the main one but on a smaller scale. In this case, in the central niche we can see a stone image of the Virgen del Subterráneo, which is venerated inside the church.

Inside, the five naves are separated by semicircular arches that rest on 18 reddish marble columns of Genoese origin. The naves are covered with semicircular vaults with transverse arches and at the foot of the church there is a high choir, which preserves the stalls and two original organs from the 18th century.

The main altarpiece is in the Baroque style, from the mid-18th century, attributed to Felipe Fernández del Castillo. In it, the Virgin of the Subterranean is venerated over the manifestor. It is a small size by an anonymous author and dates from the 15th century, although it was reformed on various occasions, such as during the 18th century, when the crown and the burst of silver were added.

Tradition has it that this image was found in a cave under the church when works were being carried out in it around 1492. From this circumstance would come the invocation of her as Virgin of the Underground. It shares this nickname with the Dolorosa de la Hermandad de la Cena, currently in the church of Los Terceros, since apparently this brotherhood had its headquarters in this parish during the 16th century.

Continuing with the main altarpiece, the image of San Nicolás de Bari, head of the temple, is located in the central niche, with San Pedro and San Pablo in the side streets. In the attic there is another niche, smaller than the main one, with a Christ on the Cross. The ensemble is finished off by a large royal crown on a glued curtain, an element used in the late Baroque period to emphasize theatricality. The wall paintings in the presbytery are original from the 18th century and reproduce scenes from the life of Saint Nicholas.

On the left side of the church is the Sacramental Chapel, which, in a neo-Baroque altarpiece from the 20th century, houses the titular images of the Brotherhood of Candelaria. In the center, our Father Jesús de la Salud, a work of full size and somewhat smaller than life size, attributed to Francisco de Ocampo around 1615. To his right, the Virgin of Candelaria, a dress image made by Manuel Galiano Delgado in 1924 and remodeled in 1967 by Antonio Dubé de Luque. On the left is a San Juan by José Ruíz Escamilla from 1926.

On the walls of the Chapel there are some interesting canvases, such as the one that represents the Virgin of Guadalupe, the work of the Mexican painter Juan Correa from 1704, or the one of "San Carlos Borromeo giving communion to the plague victims of Milan", the work of Juan de Espinal from 1750.

Returning to the nave, we can see how practically all the walls of the church are covered by a series of altarpieces, mostly Baroque from the 18th century, which give the temple an atmosphere of great monumentality and decorative exuberance.

At the head of the naves on the left there are two 18th century altarpieces dedicated to the Virgen del Patrocinio and the Virgen de los Dolores or "del Camino", an image that probably comes from the old "Ecce Homo" brotherhood, which disappeared in the eighteenth century.

On the other side of the presbytery, at the head of the naves on the right, there are two altarpieces also dating from the mid-18th century. The first of them is dedicated to Saint Joseph, and is presided over by a beautiful carving of the saint made in 1678 by Francisco Ruiz Gijón, famous for being the author of the Christ of the Expiration, the "Cachorro" of Triana. In the mural paintings next to the altarpiece we find two passages from the life of Saint Joseph made by Pedro Tortorelo in 1760.

The other altarpiece is dedicated to San Carlos Borromeo and on its surrounding walls you can see scenes with the life of the saint, made by Vicente Alanís in 1760. The same author painted the vault with a representation of the Trinity between angels.

SANTA CRUZ CHURCH

by Manuel Hellín

The church was built between 1665 and 1728 and we know that at least for a while the works were directed by the master José Tirado. It has three naves, with a transept and a flat head.

Its only façade opens at the foot and remained unfinished until the 20th century. Within the general embellishment of the Santa Cruz neighborhood that took place in the years prior to the Ibero-American Exposition, the great regionalist architect Juan Talavera y Heredia designed the current façade, which was carried out between 1926 and 1929.

It is made in a neo-baroque style of great classicism, following the model of some of the Sevillian Mannerist portals, such as the one in the Convent of Santa María de Jesús or the side of the church of San Pedro. The decorative elements also include garlands of flowers and fruit at the top of the pilasters and some ovals framed by the characteristic Baroque rockeries.

In the central niche above the entrance there is a wrought iron cross reminiscent of the 'Cruz de las Sierpes' that today is found in the nearby Plaza de Santa Cruz. Above it, a shield again reproduces a tree cross on a stone Calvary and on both sides, two shields profusely decorated with the symbols of Jesus and Mary.

To finish off the façade, the architect devised a stylized belfry with two heights and three openings for bells. It is practically the same height as the great dome that is located on the transept, which gives the church a characteristic profile.

Inside, the first thing that catches the attention of the church is its great monumentality and neoclassical air, characteristics highlighted by its white color and sparse decoration, a very unusual feature in Sevillian churches.

The central nave is taller than the lateral ones and is covered by a barrel vault with transverse arches and lunettes. The lateral ones are accessed through deep semicircular arches on thick pilasters. A clerestory runs over the side naves, which opens onto the church with wrought iron balconies. This is quite a common feature in conventual churches, since it allowed the religious to attend the ceremonies while preserving their privacy. Above the entrance to the temple, we find a high choir supported by a large lowered semicircular arch.

The wide transept of the church is covered with a semicircular vault on pendentives. The circumstance occurs that the dome has a drum that is very hidden from the inside, even giving the impression that it is a dome without a drum, while it is very marked seen from the outside. Four large windows open in it, which added to those located in the lantern, give the whole a great luminosity.

The head of the temple is flat and has been covered by a barrel vault. At its end, an arch supports the space in which the church organ is located, in a very unusual location in Sevillian temples. It is a magnificent neoclassical organ designed by Antonio Otín Calvete around 1810. In its upper part, there is a beautiful group of angels sculpted in stone holding different musical instruments. Under the organ, there are choir stalls, made at the end of the 18th century, also in neoclassical style.

At the end of the 18th century, within an academic atmosphere rejecting what were considered excesses of the Baroque, it was decided to replace the original altarpiece of the church, which apparently stood out for its profuse decoration and theatricality. Some authors, such as Santiago Montoto in his collection of articles on the "Parishes of Seville", point out that the previous altarpiece was burned down in a fire. In any case, it was replaced by the neoclassical temple that we can see today, made in 1792 by Blas Molner.

It is a dome supported by Corinthian columns, forming a polychrome complex to imitate marble. An allegorical image of Faith is located on the dome and the temple houses the image of the Virgin of Peace, a magnificent Renaissance image attributed to Jerónimo Hernández and dated around 1579. It comes from the old Convent of San Pablo, current church of La Magdalena , and represents the classic iconography of the Virgin with Child enthroned in the manner of Roman matrons. It seems that it was originally conceived as a Virgin of the Rosary and that it acquired the current dedication of Peace when it was transferred to this parish in 1835.

Along the walls of the church there are a series of altarpieces, mostly from the 17th and 18th centuries, which house some pieces of notable artistic value.

You can start by mentioning the altarpiece of the Cristo de las Misericordias, which is on the left side, in the front of the transept. The image is a beautiful anonymous carving from the 17th century, which represents Christ still alive with his gaze directed towards heaven. It has traditionally been located in the circle of Pedro Roldán and due to its composition it is related to the Christ of the Expiration of Triana. He is the owner of the Brotherhood of Santa Cruz, which carries out a procession on Holy Tuesday through the streets of the city.

On that same side of the church, two 17th-century altarpieces made by Bernardo Simón de Pineda can be highlighted, one dedicated to Santa Ana and the other to the Immaculate Conception (although the Immaculate Conception that currently centers the altarpiece is later, from the 18th century). . Along with them, we can mention the altarpiece dedicated to San Francisco Caracciolo, founder of the Minor Clerics. Both the altarpiece and the image of the saint are attributed to Pedro Duque Cornejo, one of the most outstanding sculptors of the 18th century in Seville.

On the right side, we can highlight the altarpiece of the Virgen del Mayor Dolor, designed in the 17th century by Bernardo Simón de Pineda and polychromed by Juan Valdés Leal, although it was reformed in the 18th century adding Rococo-style decorative elements. The image of the Virgin that presides over the altarpiece is a kneeling Soledad also dated from the 18th century, while on the bench there is an interesting painting with the representation of Christ Recumbent.

SAN JOSÉ CHAPEL

by Manuel Hellín

The first of these was directed by Pedro Romero and concluded in 1717 with the construction of the only nave of the chapel. The second was completed in 1766 under the direction of Esteban Paredes, completing the main chapel and the exterior of the temple. The church reached the 20th century in a state of practical ruin and in 1931 suffered a fire in which it lost the roof and part of its wall paintings. Fortunately, she was able to be rehabilitated and returned to the cult.

As we said, it is a small church, with a single nave and transept slightly marked in plan. It has two exterior doors, one at the foot and another on the Gospel side.

The main doorway is made of brick with a showy Baroque style that manages to convey the sensation of monumentality despite its small dimensions. Two pilasters support a divided curved pediment, in the center of which opens a niche with the image of San José, designed by Lucas Valdés in 1716. On both sides, two richly framed medallions with the busts of San Fernando and San Hermenegildo, and on the central niche, a third medallion with a representation of San Juan Bautista in youth.

On both sides of the door, two niches housed the images of San Joaquin and another saint, identified as San Jason or San Teodoro de Amasea. To avoid damage, both are currently kept in the sacristy of the church, being replaced by two images made in resin by the contemporary sculptor Jesús Curquejo Murillo. One of them is a copy of the previous San Joaquín, while the other is a tender representation of Santa Ana with the girl Virgin.

The side doorway can be dated to the same period as the main one and its central element is a beautiful relief that represents the Betrothal of the Virgin and Saint Joseph, attributed to the great eighteenth-century sculptor Cristóbal Ramos. On the molding that frames this scene, four high-quality images gracefully rest despite their profound deterioration. On the first level, Saint Peter (today headless) and Saint Paul, and on the main scene, two allegorical figures representing virtues attributed to Saint Joseph: Meekness, holding a lamb, and Chastity.

Inside, the only nave of the temple is covered with a barrel vault resting on transverse arches, and an elliptical dome with a blind lantern rises over the transept. The profuse sculptural and pictorial decoration of the temple make the Chapel of San José an exquisite little jewel of Sevillian Baroque.

The main altarpiece was designed by the Portuguese-born sculptor Cayetano de Acosta, one of the most outstanding artistic figures of the 18th century in the city. On the bank, the main body is divided into three streets by means of stipes, although the profuse decoration that covers practically every centimeter makes it difficult to distinguish this structure. In the central niche is located the head of the temple, San José, in a sculpture of the circle of Pedro Roldán. In the stipes that frame this niche are the figures of San Joaquín and Santa Ana, parents of the Virgin, attributed to Pedro Duque Cornejo, another of the great sculptors of the 18th century in Seville.

On the Tabernacle, there is an image of the Immaculate Conception, and on both sides, in the side streets of the altarpiece, we find San Juan Bautista and San Juan Evangelista, under two medallions with high reliefs of San Sebastián and San Roque.

In the upper part of the altarpiece, a series of children and young angels complete the composition, and in the center of the attic is the image of God the Father in an attitude of blessing.

On both sides of the transept there are two altarpieces, with the same chronology as the main one and also with profuse decoration. The one on the right gives access to the sacristy and the one on the left is presided over by a sculptural group with the Coronation of the Virgin.

On the sides of the nave, framed under semicircular arches, there are two other altarpieces. Both have been dated to the 18th century. The one on the right has in its center a beautiful set with The Betrothal of the Virgin on an interesting and classic architectural background, while the one on the left is presided over by an image of Santa Ana.

The paintings that decorate the vaults and arches have been dated to the last third of the 18th century, a century to which the various canvases on the canvas walls also belong. As an exception, we find a beautiful painting from the 17th century that represents Rest on the flight to Egypt. It is by an anonymous author who seems to follow in style the work of the Italian Paolo Veronese.

CHURCH OF THE OLD HOSPITAL OF OUR LADY OF PEACE

by Manuel Hellín

The Hospital of Nuestra Señora de la Paz is a welfare foundation belonging to the Order of Hospitaller Brothers of San Juan de Dios, settled in Seville since 1543 and in the location they currently occupy since 1574. It was founded as a center for the care of sick with few resources and later began to also deal with convalescent former soldiers. With the Confiscation, the Hospital was expropriated in 1836 but the hospital brothers returned to their old home in 1880. Since then, the order has continued to be in charge of the Hospital, which currently functions as a nursing home.

The most artistically interesting part, and the only one open to the general public, is the church of Nuestra Señora de la Paz, which overlooks the Plaza del Salvador. It is a temple originally built in the first half of the 17th century, although deeply reformed during the 18th century.

It is a church with three naves, with a transept not marked in plan and a flat head.

On the outside, its only façade at the foot has a design that has originally been attributed to the late-Renaissance architect Vedmondo Resta. It is divided into three levels

In the first, four Doric columns support a frieze of metopes and triglyphs. Between the lateral ones there are two oculi and between the central ones, the lowered semicircular arch that gives access to the temple.

In the center of the second level, four columns again, but this time surrounded by profuse decoration with plant motifs, rockeries and child angels, elements probably added in the 18th century. They frame three niches that house the images of San Agustín, the Virgin with the Child and San Juan de Dios. The side niches are profusely decorated, while the central one is extremely simple. In addition, the stylistic features of the central image of the Virgin are clearly different from those of the lateral images, which indicates that this central space was reformulated after the rest of the cover. The whole set is framed by two pilasters, also with abundant ornamentation.

On the third level, the doorway is completed with a niche framing a modern stained glass window, flanked by abundant and meticulous sculptural decoration. Above the stained glass window, two angels hold a crown over the symbol of the brothers of San Juan de Dios, a pomegranate, which recalls the founding of this order in the Andalusian city of the same name in 1572.

Above the whole, a curved and divided pediment rises in the center of which an oculus opens. On both sides of the façade, we find two bell towers topped by stylized spiers covered in tile.

Inside, we find the three naves of the church divided by semicircular arches on marble columns, with the central one notably higher than the lateral ones. The side naves are covered with barrel vaults, like the central one, which also includes lunettes. At the foot of the temple, there is a high choir decorated with abundant rococo-style plasterwork decoration. Above the transept, there is a dome with a lantern, decorated with plasterwork with geometric motifs, original from the 17th century.

The tile base that runs along the walls of the temple is especially interesting for its originality in Seville. It has been dated back to 1771 and has a beautiful 'candelieri' decoration in blue and white, with some yellow motifs in prominent areas.

The main altarpiece is neoclassical in style and dates from around 1800, when it replaced a previous one in the Baroque style. In the central niche, a dressed image of the Virgin of Peace, head of the temple, is venerated, flanked by San Juan de Dios and San Juan Grande, all sculptures from the same period as the altarpiece.

Two of the most artistically interesting images in the temple are located in the headers of both side naves. These are the representations of San Rafael and San Juan de Dios, both attributed for their great quality to the great Martínez Montañés.

On the walls of the church there is a series of eight Baroque altarpieces, dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, which house an interesting set of sculptures. Among the religious images, we could highlight the following for their interest:

- An image of San Andrés from the 17th century attributed to Francisco de Ocampo, from the previous main altarpiece of the church, now disappeared.

- San Carlos Borromeo, carved by Juan de Mesa in 1618.

- An image of the Cristo de la Humildad, dated around 1600, which reproduces the iconography of Christ grieving in the moments before the Crucifixion. This representation has its origin in an engraving by Dürer and is widespread in Sevillian churches.

- An Immaculate Conception by the Valencian sculptor Blas Molner, from the late 18th or early 19th centuries. Due to its great dynamism and originality, it could also be identified as an Assumption of the Virgin.