Church of San Martín de Luiña facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Church of San Martín de Luiña
Location	Asturias,  Spain

The Church of San Martín de Luiña (Spanish: Iglesia de San Martín de Luiña) is a beautiful old church in Escalada, Asturias, Spain. It's a Roman Catholic church built in the Baroque style, which was popular for its fancy and detailed designs. You can find this church sitting on top of a hill, surrounded by homes in the Escalada area. Building the church started in 1718 and finished in 1726. We know this from a special message carved above one of its doors!

History of the Church Building

The Church of San Martín de Luiña has been updated and changed over the years. In the early 1800s, covered walkways called porticoes were added. These were built to protect the three main doors of the church.

Bell Tower and Renovations

The church's tall bell tower was put up in the middle of the 1800s. Later, in the 1900s, the church went through more updates. In 1964, the original dome on top of the tower was replaced. This was because the old dome had been badly damaged during a time of conflict in Spain.

Exploring the Church's Architecture

The Church of San Martín de Luiña is built with a strong stone base. It has special stone columns at each corner. You can see interesting features like chains, windows, and decorative supports called buttresses. The outside walls are covered with plaster and painted white.

Church Layout and Design

The church has a Latin-cross plan, which means it's shaped like a cross when you look down from above. It has three main sections, called naves, and flat ends. There are also rooms on the sides for the priests, called vestries. The bell tower stands at the front. The back wall of the church is next to what used to be the church cemetery, which is now a garden.

The main part of the church and the cross-shaped section have arched ceilings. The area near the altar has a slightly pointed arched ceiling. The central part of the church has a round dome with pretty shell-like decorations.

Entrances and Decorations

The main entrance on the western side is very fancy. It has flower-like designs called rosettes. Two tall, grooved pillars frame the entrance, holding up a flat stone beam. These pillars rest on bases decorated with acanthus leaves, which look like plant leaves. The other two entrances have similar classic designs.

The covered walkways on the north side used to have smooth columns, but the tops are now missing. The southern walkway has raised, padded sections. It also has separate columns with acanthus leaf tops. A decorative band runs along the stone beams, featuring alternating rosettes with eight petals. This band also goes around the side sections and the area near the altar. The arched roof, supported by pillars, has decorative tops. Even the floor of the front porch has swirly designs!

Inside the Church

Many of the beautiful decorations you see outside are also found inside. The pillars supporting the arches have the same fancy tops. The walls of the chapels inside also have a lovely decorated ledge. The walls are painted to look like real stone.

You can still see old messages on the floor near the altar. These messages tell us about the graves that used to be there. On one side, it says "Graves of nobles and commoners." On the other side, it says "Graves of nobles married and unmarried children." There were even special places for a group of people called Vaqueiros in the main part of the church. One message says, "The 'baqueros' (sic) will no more move from here in order to hear Mass." Another says, "Graves for 'baqueros' (sic) and strangers."

Art and Altarpieces

The church has three important pieces of art called altarpieces. These are large, decorated screens behind the altars. They were made in the early 1700s and are examples of Baroque art. People believe they were created by an artist named Gabriel Antonio Fernández, also known as "Tonin."

The main altarpiece is dedicated to San Martin. The one on the left side is for the Virgen del Rosario (Virgin of the Rosary). The one on the right side is for the Virgen de los Dolores (Virgin of Sorrows). Sadly, the original statues and images were damaged during a difficult time in Spain's history. Inside the sacristy, a room where priests prepare, there's an old window arch that has been reopened. It's decorated with moldings, rosettes, and three tall, pointed decorations called pinnacles.

See also

In Spanish: Iglesia de San Martín de Luiña para niños