Church of San Xoán, Portomarín facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of San Xoán |
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Igrexa de San Xoán de Malta
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Church |
| Location | |
| Location | Portomarín, Galicia, Spain |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
The Church of San Xoán (also known as Saint John) in Portomarín, Spain, is a very special building. It was built like both a church and a fortress by the Knights Hospitaller, a famous group of knights from long ago. This church is located in the town of Portomarín in Galicia, Spain.
Contents
What Makes This Church Special?
A Church and a Castle in One
This church is quite unique because it looks like both a church and a castle! It was built in the Romanesque style, which was popular a long time ago. This means it has features you would expect in a church, but also strong defenses like a castle.
Church Features
Inside, it has a main hall called a nave with a rounded ceiling, like a barrel. At one end, there's a semicircular area called an apse. You can also see beautiful decorations typical of Romanesque churches. These include a carved entrance with fancy arches, round rose windows, and carved tops on the columns.
Castle Features
To protect itself, the church has strong castle-like features. Its outer walls have merlons, which are the solid parts of a castle's battlements. It also has four defense towers, one at each corner. Behind the church, there's a defensive walkway called an adarve.
Moving the Church
In the 1960s, the river in the valley was flooded to create a reservoir. Because of this, the entire church was carefully taken apart stone by stone and moved to its current location on higher ground. It was then put back together exactly as it was before!
Why Was This Church Important?
Protecting the Way of St. James
The Church of San Xoán is located on the main path of the Way of St. James. This is a very old and famous pilgrimage route that leads to Santiago de Compostela. Many years ago, groups like the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller built churches and castles along this route. They did this to protect the pilgrims traveling to the tomb of Saint James. Other examples of these protective buildings include the churches of Torres del Río and Church of Saint Mary of Eunate, and the Castle of Ponferrada.
External Links
- Information about the church from Instituto Cervantes: [1]
- A website about the village and the church: [2]
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Juan (Puertomarín) para niños
