Description
The names of prestigious architects from the 16th to the 18th centuries, such as Andrés de Vandelvira, master of the Andalusian Renaissance, Juan de Aranda, Eufrassio López de Rojas and Ventura Rodríguez, are linked in their design and execution.
This church shows several constructive phases between the 16th and 18th centuries, ending in 1928. It began to be built in the 16th century by Andrés de Vandelvira responsible according to all the sources of the church's layout. Then it seems that the works were interrupted in 1575, possibly because of the architect's death. The works were reundertaken in 1614 at the initiative of Cardinal Baltasar Moscoso.
It is of Andalusian Renaissance style, from the school of Vandelvira. The tower and the sotochorus were built by Eufrassio López de Rojas. In their long constructive process, the great teachers who worked in the province at that time were involved: Andrés de Vandelvira, Juan de Aranda, Eufrassio López de Rojas and Ventura Rodríguez. The interior is a living room with three ships, covered by the central with semi-spherical vaults and side baits. The fresco paintings in the left vault of the cruise (XVI-XVII centuries) are recognized as San Esteban, San Sebastián, San Lorezno, San Antonio, San Nicolás, San Lucas and Santa Águeda.
The reorganisation of the internal space was put forward by Juan de Aranda, built in the 17th century, designing a high choir to take advantage of the wide gap between the foothills, also made the main Porta: Manierista in both its concept and in ornamentation, carved in stone and structured as an altarpiece. Its most striking elements are the half-point arch that opens the door, the double columns that flank it, the ornamental motifs such as diamond tip or the structural ones such as pilasters and semicircular parties.
From 1670 López de Rojas worked the chorus, covered the sotochorus with canyon vaults with lunetes and traced the tower, another of the temple's highlights. Its quadrangular base and first body, without decoration, point to strong stirring. In 1775 he would be in charge of raising the second body of the tower, Ventura Rodriguez. Cave of the cruise, with paintings representing the Evangelists and the Fathers of the Church, and an inscription that reads: "The year of a thousand six hundred and twenty-eight was over, with the Supreme Pontiff of Urban VIII, and Philip IV reigned, and the Bishop of Jaen was Cardinal Sandobal i Moscoso, prior to Dr. Martín Láñez Dávila and worker El Mº Antonio Cobos."
A fragment of the original altarpiece of the main altar (17th century) of Gil Fernández and Diego de Landeras is preserved in the sacristy.
It was declared a Historical Monument in 1983
Is part of
