St Sebastian's Church, Madrid Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Saint Sebastian Church
View from the south-west angle
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
District	Centro
Region	Community of Madrid
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Parish church
Status	Active
Location
Municipality	Madrid
State	Spain
Architecture
Groundbreaking	1554
Completed	1693
Designated as NHL	1969

Saint Sebastian Church
Native name Spanish: Iglesia de San Sebastián

Location	Madrid, Spain

Spanish Property of Cultural Interest
Official name: Iglesia de San Sebastián
Type	Non-movable
Criteria	Monument
Designated	1969
Reference no.	RI-51-0003831

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The Saint Sebastian Church, also known as Iglesia de San Sebastián, is a historic church in the center of Madrid, Spain. It was built in the 16th century and is located at #39 Atocha street.

This church started as a small chapel in 1541. It was on the way to the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Atocha. The first architect who worked on it around 1550 was Antonio Sillero. He also finished the Chapel of the Holy Heart. For many years, this church was a safe place for people trying to escape official capture.

Over time, more chapels and additions were built between 1595 and 1598. The church tower was added in 1612 by Lucas Hernández.

A Look at the Church's History
- Damage and Rebuilding
Special Chapels Inside
- Chapel of Our Lady of Bethlehem
- Chapel of the Holy Heart
Famous People Connected to the Church
The Old Cemetery
See also

A Look at the Church's History

Damage and Rebuilding

During the Spanish Civil War, the church was badly damaged. It was bombed around November 20, 1936. Many important artworks from the church had to be moved to other places to keep them safe. For example, a statue of San Blas was moved to another convent.

The church was rebuilt between 1943 and 1959 by Francisco Íñiguez Almech. It was even turned to face a different direction. In 1969, the church was given a special protected status as a "Bien de Interés Cultural" (a cultural heritage site).

Special Chapels Inside

Chapel of Our Lady of Bethlehem

This chapel is sometimes called the "chapel of the architects." It was built in 1693. Later, in 1766-1768, it was updated by Ventura Rodríguez. Two famous architects, Ventura Rodríguez and Juan de Villanueva, are buried here. You can find this chapel to the right of the church entrance, behind a glass gate.

Chapel of the Holy Heart

The Chapel of the Holy Heart was designed by Antonio Sillero.

Famous People Connected to the Church

The church's old records have information about many famous people. These records show who was baptized, had their funeral, or got married at Saint Sebastian Church.

Baptisms

Facade calle Atocha.

Many well-known people were baptized here, including:

Ramón de la Cruz (1731)
Leandro Fernández de Moratín (1760)
Patricio de la Escosura (1807)
Jerónimo María Usera y Alarcón (1810)
Francisco Asenjo Barbieri (1823)
Luis Madrazo Kuntz (1825)
José de Echegaray (1832)
Jacinto Benavente (1866)

Funeral Services

Important figures whose funeral services were held at the church include:

Weddings

Several notable people chose Saint Sebastian Church for their weddings:

The Old Cemetery

The church used to have a cemetery where Huertas and San Sebastian streets meet. This cemetery is no longer there; a flower shop stands in its place today. The famous writer Lope de Vega is buried in this former cemetery.

St Sebastian's Church, Madrid facts for kids

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