Church of San Juan Bautista, Baños de Cerrato facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Juan Bautista de Baños de Cerrato |
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 San Juan Bautista de Baños de Cerrato
Location in Spain
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| 41°55′15″N 4°28′20″W / 41.9208°N 4.47236°W | |
| Location | Baños de Cerrato, Castile and León, Spain |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Tradition | Roman Rite |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Preromanesque |
| Completed | 7th century |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone |
The Church of San Juan Bautista (which means St. John the Baptist) is a very old stone church in a village called Baños de Cerrato in central Spain. It's dedicated to John the Baptist and was built by the Visigoths, an ancient people who lived in Spain a long time ago. This church is a great example of early medieval architecture.
A Look Back in Time
The church is in a beautiful valley near two rivers, the Pisuerga River and the Carrión River. Long, long ago, when the Romans were around, this area was a popular spot for holidays. Many fancy villas (large country homes) were built here. Both in Roman times and later with the Visigoths, this region was important for growing grain. Today, a nearby town called Venta de Baños is much bigger because of the railways.
The church was ordered to be built by the Visigothic king Recceswinth. He ruled Hispania, which is what Spain and Portugal were called back then. The church was finished in the year 661. It is believed that a special ceremony to open the church took place on January 3rd, 661.
Above the entrance, there is an old inscription carved in stone. It tells us about the church's dedication. A copy of this text from the 10th century helps us understand it today. It says that King Recesvinto, who loved St. John the Baptist, built this church as a lasting gift.
This church was built as a royal project, meaning the king paid for it. It was managed by the Bishops of Palencia. In the 1950s and 1960s, archaeologists dug around the church. They found an old cemetery with 58 tombs. They also found three bronze items from the 7th century. These included two belt buckles and a special object used in church services.
Some experts think the church might be newer than the 7th century, perhaps from the 9th or 10th century. This is because of the way some stones were cut and used. However, it is still a very important example of early Spanish architecture.
How It Was Built
The Church of San Juan Bautista was built using large, squared stones called ashlar. These stones were carefully fitted together without using any mortar (a type of cement). This way of building, called "drywall," was very common in ancient Roman times. This church, along with a few others built by the Visigoths in Spain, was one of the last buildings in Western Europe to use this method until much later. It shows the end of an old Roman building tradition.
You might notice the special horseshoe-shaped arches in the church. Some historians believe this style was influenced by buildings from Syria. The bell tower you see on top was added much later.
Nearby Attractions
The village's name, Baños, means "baths" in Spanish. This name comes from the fact that there's a natural spring nearby. You can find a fountain, called the Fuente de San Juan, close to the church.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Juan de Baños para niños
- Visigothic Kingdom
- Ashlar
