Church of Saint Louis of France facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of Saint Louis of France |
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Iglesia de San Luis de los Franceses
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church, Society of Jesus |
| Province | Sevilla |
| Region | Andalusia |
| Location | |
| Municipality | Sevilla |
| Country | Spain |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Leonardo de Figueroa |
| Architectural style | Baroque |
| Groundbreaking | 1699 |
| Completed | 1731 |
| Direction of façade | East |
The Church of Saint Louis of France (Spanish: Iglesia de San Luis de los Franceses) is a beautiful old church in Seville, Spain. It's a great example of Baroque architecture, a fancy and detailed style from the 1700s. The famous architect Leonardo of Figueroa designed it. Building started in 1699 and finished in 1731.
The church was built for the Jesuits, a group of Catholic priests. After the Jesuits were asked to leave Spain in 1835, the church was used for different things. It was even closed for a long time. Today, the building belongs to the Provincial Council of Seville [es].
Contents
History of the Church
The Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, first came to Seville in 1554. They built a church and places for their members to live and train. Only one of their original buildings, the Church of the Annunciation [es], is still standing today.
In the early 1600s, a woman named Lucia de Medina gave land for a new, bigger building. She had two conditions. First, she wanted to be buried in the church's chapel. Second, the church had to be named after her favorite saint, Saint Louis. This was Louis IX of France, a medieval king.
The Jesuits also wanted to build a good relationship with the Spanish royal family. At that time, the new French royal family, the House of Bourbon, ruled Spain. They hoped that dedicating the church to Saint Louis would help them avoid being expelled from the country. You can see symbols like crowns and the fleur de lis (a French royal symbol) inside the church. These symbols show the connection between the kings and the Catholic church.
By 1609, the Jesuits had moved their training center to the new site. Construction of the church began in 1699 and was completed in 1730. In 1731, Archbishop Luis de Salcedo y Azcona [es] officially opened the building as the Church of Saint Louis of France.
However, in 1767, King Carlos III ordered the Jesuits to leave Spain. They had to abandon the church. They returned for a short time in 1817, but another expulsion in 1835 forced them to leave for good.
After the Jesuits left, the building was used for many different things. It was a seminary (a school for priests), a convent, a hospital, a factory, and even a homeless shelter. The church itself remained closed and empty for many years.
Luckily, the Church of Saint Louis was saved from damage during the fires of 1936. Because it was not used for so long, many of its original designs and features have been preserved.
Today, the church is owned by the Provincial Council of Seville [es]. They have been working to restore the building since 1984. They even added special artistic lighting with the help of the Seville Endesa Foundation. In 2016, the latest renovations were finished, and the church was opened to the public. Now, everyone can visit and admire its beautiful art and architecture.
Architecture of the Church
How the Church Faces
The church is built in a special way that follows the path of the sun in the sky. This means the main altar, which faces west, gets lots of light, especially in spring. The main entrance faces east, towards the rising sun. Other altars inside also get light on their saint's special day. For example, the altar of Saint Stanislaus Kostka (north) and Saint Francis Borgia (south) are lit up on their celebration days.
Outside the Church
The front of the church, called the facade, has two levels. Each level is decorated like a fancy screen behind an altar, called a reredo. The building uses a mix of stone and brick. Two tall, eight-sided towers stand on either side of the facade.
The second level has five windows. The middle window is framed by special twisted columns called Solomonic columns. Above this window, you can see the Spanish coat of arms with three archangels above it. The facade doesn't really show how big the church is inside. The Jesuits had planned to build a large open area in front of the church so people could see the whole dome and facade, but this area was never built.
Inside the Church
The church's floor plan is shaped like a Greek cross, which means all four arms of the cross are the same length. A large dome, called a cupola, sits in the middle. It looks like sixteen Solomonic columns (eight full ones and eight half ones) are holding up the dome.
However, the dome is actually supported by four strong stone pillars hidden inside the walls. These pillars are part of the interior chapels. Four smaller altars, four balconies, and four decorative criss-cross patterns (called latticework) help to hide these main pillars. Only two of the sixteen Solomonic columns near the main altar are original. The rest were added during the 2016 restoration. The stone pillars are covered with a plaster-like material called stucco but are not painted.
Above the main entrance, under the choir area, there are paintings dedicated to Saint Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Jesuits. These paintings were made around 1743 by Domingo Martinez. They show Saint Ignatius above a grand arch, holding a book of his "Spiritual Exercises."
On the sides of the entrance, there are two paintings that tell a story with hidden meanings, called allegorical murals. They defend the Jesuits against people who criticized them. These murals show two official letters from the Pope, called papal bulls, which approved the Jesuits and their "Spiritual Exercises." One painting even shows three figures called the Three Graces, who represent joy, obedience, and delight. They remind us about giving, accepting, and returning good things.
Saint Louis was a novitiate, a place where new Jesuits were trained. Because of this, the church is full of symbols with many meanings. Above the main door, it says, "This is the door of God, the righteous enter through it." The church was a place where new members lived and learned, often away from the outside world.
The architect used a technique called "theatrical repetition." This means repeating elements to create a dramatic effect. Sometimes, it's repeating things symmetrically, like two equal parts. Other times, it's repeating a single design, like the four images of Saint Ignatius. You can find eight-pointed stars, the fleur de lis, spirals, Solomonic columns, and images of saints repeated throughout the church and chapel.
The altars have many curved Venetian mirrors. These mirrors are made of tin and mercury. They reflect light, sending it to different spots, which makes the light seem to multiply. They also make things look bigger or a bit distorted. The mirrors also remind us of the phrase "speculum sine macula" (mirror without blemish), which is linked to the Virgin Mary. The church also has reminders that life is temporary, like the eight skulls you can find.
The Dome
When you enter the church, you can look straight up into the dome. It has large windows that let in lots of light. On the inside of the dome, directly opposite the entrance, you'll see a painting of a figure called Religio, which represents religion. She has a cross on her right and a palm leaf on her left. Both are symbols connected to Christ.
The paintings around Religio were done by Lucas de Valdés. They include symbols from both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. You can see things like a menorah (a Jewish candelabrum), the Altar of Incense, the Ark of the Covenant, and the Eucharist (a Christian ceremony).
The pillars that hold up the dome represent eight important good qualities, or virtues. These are related to the Beatitudes, which are blessings taught by Jesus. Starting from the figure of Religio and moving around the dome like a clock, these virtues are:
- CHARITAS PROXIMI - Love of Neighbor; This means being kind and helpful to others.
- CASTITAS - Chastity; This means having a pure heart and good thoughts.
- ORATIO - Prayer; This means talking to God and seeking what is right.
- HUMILITAS - Humility; This means being humble and not thinking you are better than others.
- MORTIFICATO - Mortification; This means being able to control your desires and feelings.
- OBIENTIA - Obedience; This means listening and following good rules.
- PAUPERTAS - Poverty; This means being humble and not needing lots of things.
- CHARITAS DEI - Love of God; This means loving God above all else.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Luis de los Franceses (Sevilla) para niños
- List of Jesuit sites
