Iglesia Mayor de San Pedro y San Pablo facts for kids
The Main Church of St Peter and St Paul (its full name is Church of St. Peter and St. Paul and the Grievance) is a very old and important church. People often just call it the "Main Church." You can find it in the city of San Fernando, which is in the Province of Cádiz, Andalusia, Spain. It stands right in the middle of the city on a street called Calle Real.
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Where is the Church?
This church is right in the heart of San Fernando, across from the Church Square. It's close to several interesting places. You can find it near the Salt and Sea Hotel, the city's history museum, the town hall, and even the bullfighting arena. The church is on the left side of the road that leads to Cádiz. To the north, you'll find San Romualdo Castle and the Suazo Bridge. To the south, there's the Carmen Convent.
A Look Back: Church History
Building the Church
Building the Main Church started a long time ago, in 1756. It was built to replace a smaller church called Santa María del Castillo de San Romualdo. The church was officially opened in 1764, but it wasn't fully finished until the early 1800s.
A person named Alejandro Perdia is thought to have created the first design for the church. However, Torcuato Benjumeda is given credit for how it looks today. The church was built because San Fernando's population was growing, and they needed a bigger place of worship. Money for its construction came from a special tax on wine. There's a story that an Englishman, even though he was not Catholic, saw the unfinished church and gave a lot of money to help finish it.
Important Moments
The church has a very important place in Spanish history. On September 24, 1810, the leaders of Spain's first special assembly met here. They took an oath inside the church. This was a big step in creating Spain's first constitution. Also, some small rooms inside the church were used as meeting places for different groups of workers and craftspeople long ago.
Celebrations Today
Today, the town celebrates "The Festival of the Patron Saints" (San Servando and San Germán) around October 23. During "Easter Week" (Semana Santa), there are more than twenty special parades. The town spends the whole year getting ready for these important events.
Church Design and Style
Outside the Church
The Main Church is a rectangular building with two main styles of architecture. You can see the Late Baroque style in the fancy decorations around the doors. The upper parts of the towers on the front of the church show the Neoclassical style. These two towers hold four bells, each named after one of the four Evangelists. The front of the church has a flat entrance area with a slightly curved top.
Inside the Church
Inside, the church has a large central area called the nave. On each side of the nave are two smaller areas called aisles. There's also a transept, which is a part of the church that crosses the main nave, making a "T" shape. The vestry, where priests prepare, is a bit higher than the rest of the church. The floor is made of marble, and there's a special base made of oyster stone. The sacristy, where sacred items are kept, is behind the main altar area.
A round dome sits above the transept, and the ceiling has ribbed vaults that are as high as the nave's roof. Strong Tuscan pillars support curved arches. These pillars separate the aisles from the central nave.
Art and Features Inside
Main Altar and Paintings
During some repair work in 1959, the main altar was decorated with paintings. These show Christ on the cross, with St Peter and St Paul on either side of him. In the first part of the nave, there's a special chapel for baptisms. It has murals (wall paintings) of the four Evangelists, also from 1959. Other paintings in the church include Nuestra Señora del Rosario and San Miguel. You can also see various artworks that show the Holy Week processions in the city.
The Crypt
Below the church, there's a hidden area called the crypt, which is also known as the cellar. This is where the tombs of monks are located.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia mayor de San Pedro y San Pablo para niños
