Church of Saint Anthony the Great facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of San AntónSan Anton eliza |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Province | Biscay |
| Location | |
| Location | Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque |
| Groundbreaking | 15th century |
| Completed | 1510 |
The Church of San Antón is a historic Catholic church in the Old Town of Bilbao, Spain. It's named after Anthony the Great, or San Antón. This church, along with the nearby San Antón Bridge, is so important that it's even on Bilbao's coat of arms! The beautiful estuary of Bilbao flows right beside it.
This church is a great example of the Gothic style. This style was very popular for churches in the 15th and 16th centuries. Even after many changes, you can still see Gothic features like the cool rib vaults and pointed arches inside.
Contents
Discovering the Church of San Antón's Past
The Church of San Antón was built at the end of the 15th century. It stands where a warehouse had been for 300 years. This church is considered a very important cultural site. It was named a "National Historic-Artistic Monument" on July 17, 1984.
In the year 1300, Diego López V de Haro created the city of Bilbao. The river and the land where the church stands became part of this new town. Some people believe that in 1334, King Alfonso XI of Castile ordered a fortress and wall to be built here. This wall was meant to protect against floods. An archaeological dig in 2002 found a wall, but we are still not sure if it was the one built by the king.
Later, these buildings were replaced by a church. It was dedicated to Saint Anthony the Great. The first church was finished in 1433. At that time, it had just one main room with a rectangular shape and a vaulted roof. You can still see the old foundations of that church near Bilbao's old wall.
In 1478, a new project began to make the church bigger. This was because more and more people were joining the congregation. This expansion was done in the Gothic style. It was completed in the early 1500s.
Throughout its history, this church has faced many challenges. It was even closed twice! The biggest problem was flooding from the Nervión river. The last major flood was in 1983. It destroyed furniture, doors, and railings inside the church.
The church also suffered damage from bombs and fires during wars. This was especially true during the Carlist Wars. During this war, the church was used for military supplies and had to close. It closed a second time in 1881 because it was falling apart. Restoration work by Sabino Goikoetxea changed much of the church's original look.
Gothic Style in Biscay
Gothic art started in France in the 1200s. But it didn't arrive in Biscay until the 1300s. This was because the region was not very wealthy. As the population and economy grew in the 1300s, Gothic art and architecture finally came to Biscay.
In Spain, Gothic architecture became common about 50 years later than in France. Since French influence came through Navarre, it didn't reach the Basque Country as quickly. So, the Gothic style arrived even later in Biscay. Even then, there are only a few large Gothic buildings in the region. Important examples include Santiago's Cathedral in Bilbao and Andra Mari of Lekeitio.
Most Gothic buildings in Biscay started in the 1300s. But only Santiago's Cathedral was finished then. The others were completed between the 1400s and 1500s.
Buildings in 'Biscay Gothic' were different from the grander International Gothic style. They were not huge buildings with giant windows. Instead, they were smaller. This became a unique feature of the local Gothic style.
Many important Gothic buildings in Biscay include: Andra Mari of Guernica, Getxo, Orduña, Gueñes, Erandio, Galdakao, Portugalete and Lekeitio. Also, Santa Eufemia of Bermeo, Santiago's Cathedral, Basilica of Begoña, San Vicente and San Anton of Bilbao, and San Severino of Balmaseda.
Exploring the Chapels of San Antón
The Church of San Antón has three special chapels inside.
Provost Chapel
This is the first and largest chapel in the church. Built in 1530, it shows the late Gothic style. You can see this style in other nearby churches like Begoña and San Vicente of Abando. The entrance has a large pointed arch. This arch is closed by a beautiful metal grille made in Bilbao.
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Above the entrance, you can see the coat of arms of the Lezama-Leguizamón family. They were the ones who founded this chapel. Long ago, there was a secret passage connecting this chapel to the Lezama-Leguizamón family's tower house. There is also a lovely stained glass window on the front wall.
This chapel used to have two altarpieces. One was for Santa Ana, and the other for Virgen de la Consolación. Today, the chapel has an altar with a wood carved sculpture of Inmaculada and some paintings.
There's also a silver lamp with a special message carved on it. It says: "This lamp was given to their chapel of Santa Ana by Doña María de Leguizamón and Don Domingo de Isasi-Leguizamón. 1621."
Piety Chapel
The Chapel of Piety is smaller than the Provost Chapel but bigger than the San Roque Chapel. It shares many features with the Provost Chapel. It has a Gothic entrance arch, rib vaults on the ceilings, and stained glass windows.
The grille closing this chapel is even older than the one in the Provost Chapel. The top part of this grille shows the coat of arms of the Recalde family. It also has details about the Passion of Jesus.
A special message in Latin is written on the middle section: "O Mater Dei, memento mei Iesu." This means, "Oh mother of God, remember us before Jesus."
In 1919, the Provost Chapel and the Piety Chapel were joined together. A Gothic arch was built to connect them. This made the communion rail area larger.
San Roque Chapel
This is the smallest chapel in the Church of San Antón. It has a rib vault and a small blinded Gothic arch on the right wall. This arch was actually the original entrance to the church!
When the new main front of the church was built, the Ibiceta family decided to change this chapel. Their family burial place was here. They turned it into an artistic mausoleum with beautiful sculptures and decorations. The chapel has a round arch supported by Corinthian columns. Above the burial place, there is a sculpture of San Roque. On either side are sculptures of Saint Lucy and Saint Sebastian.
The Renaissance Façade
The church has a beautiful façade (front) built in the 16th-century Renaissance style. This is different from the Gothic style of the rest of the building. This mix of styles happened because the church was rebuilt many times. Each time, new features from that period were added.
The very first styles you can see are not Renaissance or Gothic. The entry arches are round arches, typical of the Romanesque style. The door itself has another type of arch used in the late 1400s. The most obvious Gothic parts are the rib vaults on the ceiling of the main nave.
The Renaissance façade was built in 1548. It was made very grand and with rich decorations, typical of the Renaissance. Around the arches, there are small sculptures of heads in low relief. These heads symbolize anthropocentrism, a focus on humans that was important during the Renaissance. Most heads have angel wings behind them. In the middle, on the central keystone, there is a larger sculpture shaped like a shield. The year 1548 is carved on it, like the builder's signature.
On both sides of the door, there are Corinthian columns. These are also typical of the Renaissance style. They might be smaller than in other buildings, but they show all the key features. They have a Corinthian capital with its rectangular top and acanthus leaves. The column shaft has grooves. At the bottom, there are carvings of plants and human figures.
The façade also has two special spaces called niches, one on each side of the door. Until 1892, these were empty. During a renovation that year, sculptures of Saint Peter and Saint Paul were placed there. The niches have shell-shaped tops called scallops. These scallops often have designs that honor what is inside the niche. Here, you'll find two small angels holding a medallion with another human head. All these elements – niches, angels, scallops, medallions, and Corinthian columns – are classic examples of the Renaissance style from the 15th and 16th centuries.
The Belfry Tower
In 1774, work began on the current Belfry Tower. Gabriel de Capelastegui designed it to replace an older tower. The tower has a square base that rises up near the main roof. Above it is the belfry, where the bells are. It's topped with a dome and a small tower called a lantern. It also has decorations at the top, including a weathercock. This tower is a shining example of the Baroque style from the 1700s. It's one of the best in the whole Basque Country. The weathercock itself was made on December 7, 1775.
You can reach the belfry by climbing 106 limestone stairs. The banister (railing) is very precise. From the base to the lantern, there are 32 wooden steps that still need some repair. The outdoor clock used to be in this lantern. It had a bronze face and golden numbers. It was placed between two bronze coats of arms on the consulate balcony, facing the Mercado de la Ribera.
The bell in the tower replaced an earlier one that fell on June 29, 1779. The current bell has this message carved on it: "IHS. San Antonio Abad. Ora pro nobis, Antonio de la Hoza me Hizo. 1829." This means, "Jesus. Saint Anthony the Abbot. Pray for us, Antonio de la Hoza made me. 1829."
The most recent additions to the church were in 1902. These included a new portico (covered entrance) facing Ronda street, a new sacristy (room for church items), and large church offices. The architect Enrique Epalza designed the portico and the frontages that extend to the bridge. He used the Isabelline Gothic style, which matched other styles already present in the church.
Images for kids
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The Church of San Antón in Bilbao.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Antón (Bilbao) para niños
