St. Buenaventura's Church, Seville facts for kids
St. Buenaventura's Church is located on Carlos Cañal street in the old part of Seville, Andalusia, Spain. It used to be the church for the Franciscan College of San Buenaventura. This college was destroyed in the 1800s.
Contents
History of the Church
How the College Started
Luis de Rebolledo (1549-1613) was a leader of the Franciscans in Andalusia. He wanted to create a new college for studying theology. He wanted it to be separate from another large Franciscan building.
In 1600, a woman named Doña Isabel de Sira helped start the College of San Buenaventura. She bought houses for it. By 1605, the college needed more space. It moved to its final spot, which was an area of gardens belonging to the Casa Grande de San Francisco.
Important Supporters
From 1626, a merchant named Don Tomás Mañara de Leca y Colonna and his wife Jerónima Vicentelo supported the college. They were the parents of Miguel Mañara. Miguel Mañara later founded the Hospital de la Caridad.
The college building originally had two courtyards, called cloisters.
Building the Church
The church was designed in 1622 by a sculptor and architect named Diego López Bueno (around 1568–1632). Other people helped build it, including masons Juan de Segarra and Juan Bernardo de Velasco, and carpenter Felipe Nieto. The church was built between 1622 and 1626.
The decorative plasterwork inside the church was designed by Francisco Herrera the Elder. Juan Bernardo de Velasco and Juan de Segarra did the actual work. The overall decoration plan was created by Luis de Rebolledo and a Franciscan theologian named Damián de Lugones. The church's decorations were finished between 1626 and 1627.
Changes Over Time
In 1810, during the French invasion, the college was turned into army barracks. The church became a stable for horses. Many artworks were either destroyed or stolen.
After the French left, the Franciscans got their buildings back between 1813 and 1814. They spent 30,000 reals to fix it up. During a period called the Trienio Liberal, the Franciscans were forced out again. The buildings then held a museum of paintings and sculptures.
The Franciscans returned between 1824 and 1835. However, the convent was taken by the government in 1835. Only the church remained, looked after by a chaplain.
In 1863, part of the church was removed. This included the main hall (nave) and the chapels on one side. The street called calle Bilbao was built in their place.
The church once had a series of eight paintings. These paintings showed scenes from the life of Saint Bonaventure. They were created by Francisco Herrera the Elder and Francisco de Zurbarán. Today, these paintings are spread across Spain, France, Germany, and the USA. One painting was destroyed during World War II.
There was also a ninth painting, called The Last Communion of Saint Bonaventure. It is now in Genoa, Italy. Experts believe it was made by Francisco de Zurbarán's workshop. It is thought to have been in the church's sacristy (a room where priests prepare).
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1, Herrera, The Apparition of Saint Catherine to the Family of Saint Bonaventure, Bob Jones University, Greenville, USA
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2, Herrera, The Young Bonaventure Cured by Saint Francis, Louvre, Paris
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3, Herrera, Saint Bonaventure Taking the Habit of the Franciscan Order, Museo del Prado, Madrid
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4, Herrera, Saint Bonaventura Receiving Communion from the Hands of an Angel, Louvre, Paris
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5, Zurbarán, Saint Bonaventure and Saint Thomas Aquinas before the Crucifix, formerly Kaiser-Friedrich-Museum, Berlin, destroyed 1945
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6, Zurbarán, Saint Bonaventure Inspired by an Angel Regarding the Election of a New Pope, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden, Germany
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7, Zurbarán, Saint Bonaventure at the Council of Lyons, Louvre, Paris
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8, Zurbarán, Saint Bonaventure on His Bier, Louvre, Paris
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See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Buenaventura (Sevilla) para niños
