Iglesia de Santiago (Benicalaf) facts for kids
The Church of Saint James (also known as Iglesia de Santiago in Spanish) is an old church building in Spain. It is the only building left in Benicalaf, which used to be a small village. Benicalaf is part of the town of Benavites in the region of Camp de Morvedre, in the Valencian Community. This church was built in the 1800s and is now considered a very important historical building. It is protected by law as a "Bien de Interés Cultural," which means "Property of Cultural Interest."
Contents
The Church of Saint James
History of the Church
The Church of Saint James was built in 1856. By the year 1900, the village of Benicalaf had no people living there anymore. Because of this, the church stopped being used for religious services in 1901. For many years during the 1900s, the building was used for other things. It became a place to store goods, like a warehouse, and also a place to keep animals.
What Does It Look Like?
The church was designed in a style called mannerist. This style was popular in Europe a long time ago. The building is shaped like a rectangle and has one main open space inside, called a nave. This nave is divided into three parts.
Inside the Church
On the sides of the nave, there are small areas called chapels. These chapels have rounded arches above them. The ceiling of the nave is shaped like a half-cylinder, which is called a barrel vault. This vault has curved openings, known as lunettes, and arches in each of its three sections. The ceiling is decorated with beautiful paintings called frescoes. These frescoes show different religious scenes.
Outside the Church
The front of the church, called the facade, is covered with plaster. It is painted to look like it has large stone blocks. The church also has a bell tower, which is a tall structure where bells are usually kept. This bell tower has three arches.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de Santiago de Benicalaf para niños
