San Martin, Callosa de Segura facts for kids
The Church of San Martín, Bishop of Tours is a beautiful old church in Callosa de Segura, a town in Alicante, Spain. It was built in the Renaissance style, which was popular for buildings in the 1500s. This church is a special Roman Catholic church called an "archpresbyteral" church. It is so important that it has been named a historic monument in Spain!
Contents
History of the Church
Building a Renaissance Church
This church was built in the 1500s. It is a great example of a "Renaissance hall-church." This means the main part of the church (the nave) and the side areas (the aisles) are all the same height.
The ceilings are made of vaults, which are curved arch-like structures. These vaults rest on tall, classic-looking columns. This style was quite unique for the Valencia area at that time.
The Main Entrance
The front of the church, called the main facade, shows a style from the late Gothic period. It has many decorative arches, known as archivolts.
On these arches, there is a special message written in Latin. It says: "This is the House of God, this is the Gate of Heaven."
Adding New Parts Over Time
Over the years, more parts were added to the church. In the 1600s, a tall bell tower was built. This tower holds five bells, each with its own name!
From the highest to the lowest, the bells are named: la Martina, la Purísima, San José, Sagrado Corazón, and Santísimo Sacramento.
In the 1700s, the inside of the church got a new look. It was decorated in the fancy Rococo style. A huge dome was also added in the center of the church.
Later in the 1700s, two more important rooms were built. These were the Sacristy and the Chapel of the Communion. They were designed in the Neoclassical style, which was popular then.
Treasures Inside
Inside the church, you can find some very important and beautiful artworks. Many of these were made by an artist named Miguel de Vera in the 1500s.
Some of his famous works include a special image-reliquary of Saint Martin. There is also the Archiprestal cross and the Processional Crook. The church also has sculptures and altarpieces by other artists like Rabasa and Noguera.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Martín (Callosa de Segura) para niños
