San Antolín de Toques facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of San Antolín de Torques |
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Igrexa de San Antoniño de Torques
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The church in 2008
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| Country | Spain |
| Religious institute | Benedictines (previously), now Secular clergy |
| History | |
| Cult(s) present | Catholic Church |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Bien de Interés Cultural |
| Architectural type | Pre-Romanesque, has Romanesque features |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Roman Catholic Diocese of Lugo |
| Province | A Coruña |
The Church of San Antolín de Toques is a very old church in the town of Toques, in the Galicia region of Spain. It was first built in the 10th century, over 1,000 years ago!
What makes this church so special is that it's like a history book made of stone. It has parts from many different time periods, showing how building styles changed over the centuries. Because of its historical importance, it was named a Bien de Interés Cultural in 1994, which means it is a protected landmark in Spain.
Contents
The Church's Long History
Many experts believe this church was part of one of the oldest monasteries in Galicia. A monastery is a place where religious people, like monks, live and work together. The first written record about it is from 1067. In that year, the King of Galicia, Don García, gave land to the monastery.
The monks who lived here followed the Benedictine rule, a set of instructions for monastic life created by Saint Benedict.
The monastery was independent for a long time. But in 1515, Pope Leo X, the head of the Catholic Church, decided it should become part of a larger monastery in Santiago de Compostela called San Martiño Pinario.
A New Purpose for the Old Building
After the 1800s, the Spanish government took over many church properties. In 1843, the old monastery buildings next to the church were turned into something surprising: a factory that made nails and wire! The factory used a nearby stream for power. The stones from the old monastery were even used to build houses for the factory workers. Today, those houses are in ruins.
A Look at the Church's Design
The church is a fascinating mix of different architectural styles. It has features from the Pre-Romanesque, Romanesque, and even Gothic periods. This happened because it was built and changed over hundreds of years.
Outside Features
When you look at the outside of the church, you can see how old it is. Some of the oldest carved stones are from the Visigothic period, even before the 10th century.
The small arches and windows at the top of the church are from the 11th century. They are some of the earliest examples of the Romanesque style in Galicia. The stone carvings under the roof, called canzorros, are a bit newer. They have cool shapes like human heads, animals, and patterns.
The main entrance at the front of the church was added much later, in the 1800s. The walls themselves are a mix of different types of stonework, showing all the different times the church was built or repaired.
Inside the Church
Inside, the church has one main open area, called a nave, with a wooden roof. The area at the front, the apse, has a curved stone ceiling called a barrel vault.
Ancient Art and Carvings
The walls inside are covered with amazing paintings. The oldest ones, from the 1500s, are in the Renaissance style. Other paintings from the 1700s show saints like Saint George.
One of the most important treasures inside is a wooden sculpture of Jesus on the cross, with the Virgin Mary and Saint John on either side. This type of sculpture is called a Calvary. Experts think it was made in the 12th or 13th century by an artist from England.
The archway leading to the altar is from the original pre-Romanesque church. It rests on columns with unique capitals (the tops of the columns). These capitals are decorated with geometric patterns, including a spiral shape called a triscele.
There is also a stone relief carving from the 9th or 10th century. It shows an animal with its mouth open and a person in a tunic standing behind it. The style is similar to other ancient art found in the region.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Antolín (Toques) para niños
