San Andrés, Calatayud facts for kids
San Andrés, which means St Andrew, is a beautiful Roman Catholic church. It is built in the Gothic style. You can find it in Calatayud, a town in the Aragon region of Spain.
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History of San Andrés Church
The church was first planned in the 12th century. This was after King Alfonso I el Batallador helped take back the town of Calatayud. At first, it might have looked like a Romanesque building. Today, only small parts of that first church remain. You can see some above the main door and in the baptismal font.
For a long time, San Andrés was a very important church in Calatayud. It was almost as important as the Santa María church. People in the town cared a lot about both churches.
The church's bell-tower was built much later, in the year 1508.
In 1870, the city leaders thought about tearing down some old church buildings, including San Andrés. But they decided to keep the important Tower of San Andrés. Later, in 1966, the church was officially named a building of "historic artistic interest." This means it is a very special and protected place.
Art and Architecture of the Church
The church still has its original design from the 14th century. This design is called Mudéjar. It mixes Christian and Islamic art styles. You can see fancy star-shaped patterns on the ceilings. These patterns are made with Gothic designs.
The church has four chapels along its sides. Two of these chapels are in the Mudéjar style. One of them is where baptisms take place. The other two chapels were built later, in the 18th century. They also have beautiful Gothic ceilings.
The main altar has a large decorated screen called a Retablo. This Retablo has sculptures of important figures. You can see sculptures of Mark and Luke, who were two of the writers of the Gospels. There are also sculptures of two other saints. Some parts of the Retablo show the "Fathers of the Roman Church." These are important thinkers like Augustine and Gregory the Great.
In the middle of the Retablo, there is a statue of St Andrew. This statue replaced an older painted picture. At the very top of the Retablo, there is a painting from the 18th century. It shows the Immaculate Conception.
The Tower of San Andrés
The Tower of San Andrés is very special. Like the tower of the Santa Maria la Mayor church in the same town, it is built in the Mudéjar style. This style is known for its beautiful brickwork.
The tower is actually made of two towers, one inside the other. There is a staircase between the inner and outer towers. Inside the inner tower, there is a small chapel with eight sides.
Building the tower took a very long time. It probably took many decades, maybe even centuries! The very top part, where the bells are, was not finished until the 16th century. The higher you look on the tower, the more detailed and decorated the brick patterns become.
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