Iglesia de San Juan Bautista (Chiclana de la Frontera) facts for kids
The Iglesia de San Juan Bautista (which means Church of St. John the Baptist) is a beautiful church located in Chiclana de la Frontera, a town in the Province of Cádiz, Andalusia, in southern Spain. It is known for its Neoclassical style, which is a type of building design that became popular in the 1700s and 1800s. This style often uses ideas from ancient Greek and Roman buildings, like columns and grand entrances.
A Look Back: The Old Church
The story of this church actually starts a long time ago. The first church building began to be built around the year 1510. However, building it was a very slow process. Even by 1576, it was still not finished!
Over many years, the original church became very old and damaged. By the 1700s, it was in such bad shape that it couldn't be fixed or made bigger. Because of this, the old church had to be taken down. Before it was demolished, a special carved artwork called a bas-relief was saved. This artwork was part of the altarpiece and was made in 1552 by a sculptor named Roque Balduque and a painter named Andrés Ramírez.
Building the New Church
After the old church was removed, plans were made for a brand new one. A very important architect named Torcuato Cayón was chosen to design it. He was also working on the new Cádiz Cathedral at the time. Torcuato Cayón was a key person who helped change building styles from the fancy Baroque style to the more classic Neoclassical style in that area.
Construction on the new church started in 1776 under his guidance. Sadly, Torcuato Cayón passed away in 1783 before the church was finished. However, the work continued, and the church was finally completed in 1814. It stands today as a wonderful example of Neoclassical design.
External Links
- Cadizpedia
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Juan Bautista (Chiclana de la Frontera) para niños
