Church of Santa Maria de Siones, Burgos Facts for Kids

The church of Santa Maria de Siones

The Church of Santa Maria de Siones is a very old and important church in Spain. You can find it in the Valley of Mena, which is part of the Province of Burgos. People first wrote about this church way back in the year 1001!

In 1931, the church was named a Monumento nacional, meaning it's a special national monument. It is one of the most important and well-kept Romanesque churches in the Valley of Mena. Romanesque churches are known for their thick walls, round arches, and strong, simple designs. Even though some parts were changed in the 1800s, it still shows a lot of its original beauty.

Exploring the Church Building
- Entrances to the Church
Discovering the Church Interior
Gallery
See also

Exploring the Church Building

The Church of Santa Maria de Siones was built in a common Romanesque style. It has a main hall, called a basilical layout. At the eastern end, there is a rounded section called an apse. This apse is a common feature in many old churches.

Entrances to the Church

The church has two main doors where people can enter. One entrance is on the western side of the building. The second entrance is located on the southern side. These entrances lead you into the beautiful interior of the church.

Discovering the Church Interior

The inside of the Church of Santa Maria de Siones is full of amazing sculptures. These carvings might not be perfectly smooth, but they tell stories and show strong feelings. They make the church's interior very special.

Southern Chapel Art

In the smaller chapel on the southern side, you can see a stone carving. This carving shows Santa Juliana, a saint, pulling the hair of a kneeling devil. It's a powerful image! The tops of the columns, called capitals, have many different designs. Most of these designs show demons or fantastic animals. There's also a cool stone bracket, called a corbel, decorated with a charming face that seems to peek out.

Northern Chapel Scenes

The northern chapel also has interesting capitals. One capital shows knights fighting, which is carved very well. Other capitals in this chapel also show scenes of battles. On the western side of this chapel, there is a carving that probably shows scenes from Christ's temptations.

Apse Decorations

The apse, the rounded part at the eastern end, is decorated with two levels of "blind arcades." These are arches that are carved into the wall but don't open up. The columns, arches, and capitals in the apse are very richly decorated. Some carvings show stories from the Old Testament, like Adam and Eve or the fight between David and Goliath. Other carvings show people harvesting grapes, along with different animals and even monsters.