Descripción larga
Nothing remains of the primitive hermitage, since throughout the 16th century and on its foundations, a sanctuary was built, a large part of it destroyed during the last Civil War (1936-1939). The siege and defense of the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Cabeza was magnified by the Franco regime. But until it became a parish headquarters, the Sanctuary has gone through different vicissitudes since its origin. According to all indications, the construction works began in 1287 and ended in 1304, first being a small hermitage that the people of Andújar built in the heart of Sierra Morena. However, the expansions and reforms have been almost constant throughout the ages, reaching their maximum splendor in the 16th century, between 1530 and 1590, when it became a Sanctuary, very similar to the one we know today.
In 1945 the architect Prieto Moreno, conservator of the Alhambra, directed the restoration works of the architectural complex, which became one of the most precious symbols of the national Catholicism of the dictator Francisco Franco. The pilgrimage continues to be celebrated, as is custom and tradition, on the last Sunday of April, although the image that is venerated, carved by the Granada sculptor Navas Parejo, is not the original one, since it disappears in strange and still unclear circumstances in the aforementioned contest.
Thanks to the Book of Chapters of the Brotherhood (1554-1565), preserved in the Diocesan Archive of Jaén (made known by J. Domínguez, R. Frías and S. Lázaro), we know numerous data about the level of work on the new Renaissance church during these years, although the process began years ago; The new factory began at the head, with the large main chapel being built between the years 1534 and 1541 according to a late Gothic plan, being separated from the rest by a beautiful Renaissance railing. The works on the rest of the temple passed through various hands and circumstances. The Trinitarian Community has addressed two new expansions. The first consisted of raising the projecting floor, building another pavilion in the rear area of the North wing. Thus, the entire structure of the cloister patio was completed in a harmonious and functional way. The second phase was carried out in 1965 in the entire north wing, adding a three-story building to expand the rooms of the Trinitarian priests who attend to worship, permanently since 1930. The central nave is separated from the Main Chapel by a 16th century grille, restored by the School of Arts and Crafts of Granada, which closes an opening with a semicircular arch. The High Altar has a large space in the center, behind which is the Virgin's dressing room; carving by José Navas Parejo, which replaced the old one that disappeared during the civil war. The side chapels of the nave are occupied by different altars, containing various images, such as a Crucified by the sculptor Mariano Benlliure, the Virgin of Pilar, Blessed Marcos Criado, San Juan Bautista de la Concepción, the Holy Trinity and the Virgin of Carmen. In the choir there is a magnificent organ, a gift from the Civil Guard, inaugurated by the famous master organist Guridi. Behind the Main Chapel is the sacristy.
In 1555, the master stonemason Domingo de Azpeitia undertook to build a temple with three naves with column supports, however, at the express wish of the prelate Don Diego Tavera (1555-1560), this approach was radically transformed, prohibiting the execution of the pillars. Don Diego Tavera sent Andrés de Vandelvira to give new plans for the church, as noted in the minutes of April 27, 1558 of the aforementioned Book of Cabildos. Vandelvira eliminated the pillars with the idea of designing a different, larger church, with a single nave with chapels-niches open to it. In 1559, Vandelvira visited the works and presented new plans for its conclusion, as well as the design of the main façade.
For less than a year the construction was under the control of Francisco del Castillo “El Mozo”, and the Brotherhood even required a certain report from Hernán Ruiz II. In 1562, the Brotherhood requested a new inspection of Andrés de Vandelvira, but he did not respond. In any case, the project continued with the stonemasons proposed by Vandelvira, Juan Martínez and Domingo de Jay, who executed what remained following the guidelines and the plan designed by the Master.
This must have been the case, as can be seen from the description of the temple that Salcedo de Olid made in the 17th century: “It has a nave without columns (...) and the main chapel is distinguished, majestic and very attractive.” Based on the remains preserved after its destruction in 1936, the Vandelvirian temple actually included a church with a large nave, covered with a barrel vault and niche chapels, which was separated from the main chapel by a powerful main arch. From the exterior, quite compact, only the façade at the foot is notable with three axis elements: doorway, balcony and belfry. The ornamental nudity of the complex is contemporary with the latest work of Andrés de Vandelvira. The Trinitarian Community has addressed two new expansions. The first consisted of raising the projecting floor, building another pavilion in the rear area of the North wing. Thus, the entire structure of the cloister patio was completed in a harmonious and functional way. The second phase was carried out in 1965 in the entire north wing, adding a three-story building to expand the quarters of the Trinitarian priests who attend to worship, permanently since 1930.
OTHER NON-ARCHITECTURAL ARTISTIC MANIFESTATIONS.
A Museum has been installed in the Sanctuary with diverse and varied pieces of varying artistic quality. Among all of them, we highlight two paintings from the 17th century with representations of the famous Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza Pilgrimage, an image lost in the last Civil War of 1936-1939. After the war, a new carving was commissioned from the Granada workshops of Navas Parejo, which is the one that has been venerated in Cabezo ever since. One of the few pieces saved from the destruction of the said Sanctuary was the grille of the main chapel, restored in 1941 at the School of Arts and Crafts of Granada. Hired in 1564, it depicts the apparition of the Virgin to the shepherd of Colomera.
LITERATURE
In the middle of the Civil War, the military rebellion in the province of Jaén failed, a group of civil guards along with their families settled in the Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Cabeza, this being the scene of a bloody siege by the Republican troops. A monument commemorates this event at the entrance to the Sanctuary and if you look closely, traces of shrapnel can still be seen on the side walls of the Basilica.
Miguel Hernández will journalistically describe the assault of this siege, transmitting in detail its development, which will last from September 14, 1936 to May 1, 1937, when the besieged surrender.
Southern Front. Number 15, May 13, 1937
(...) "The building of the Head dawns before the bloody and dark dawn. In it I saw the representation of a tricorn monster... (...)
