The history of the Ferdinand church of Saint Nicholas of La Villa, Cordoba (Spain)

Saint Nicholas of La Villa: History

        Ferdinand III the Saint founded two churches with the same name of SaintFaçade of the Gospel Side Nicholas, one in La Villa and the other one in La Ajerquía. The last one was not conserved, but the one we conserve, was built in 1264, date belongs to a letter from the cabildo of the cathedral that mentions it. However, this letter does not refer to the building itself, so we have to wait until 1357 to find a document certifying the existence of the church.
        In the middle of the XIV Century the head of the church existed and during this century and the XV Century the otherDetail of the Façade of the Gospel Side naves were built. However the church suffered different modifications. In 1555 Hernán Ruiz II remade the façade in the north side. In this year the Baptism Chapel was finished. During the first third of the eighteenth century was made the door of the façade, but only the rose window of the façade was partially conserved. Soon after, between 1771 and 1773 a crypt was built but now it is used as store. Inside it, interestingly, in the 70s of last century, Fray Ricardo de Córdoba found a Virgin, of "candelero", that was restored and blessed and received the name of Holy Mary of Grace and Protection, being today the image of the Brotherhood of Sentence, that procession the streets of Córdoba on the evening of Holy Monday. The false rib baroque vaults areVault of the Baptism Chapel dated XVIII Century, even the floor, and the marble plinth or the stands of the Main Altar.
        Since the beginning, Saint Nicholas was a section full of nobel families, including that of Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, The Great Captain. Unfortunately, it has not retained any of the houses they lived, but several of their names have been reflected in some streets as the Conde deDetail of the Central Nave Gondomar Street. The great growth of the city to the west has led to this section became the trade center of the city and nowadays it is happen the same in this neighborhood.
        One of the most popular door next to the section is Puerta Gallegos, through this door entered the gallega army run by Ferdinand III the Saint. Although it is not retained because it was destroyed in 1864, this area is still known by its former name. Another building is the Collegiate of Saint Hippolyte, a work promoted by Alphonse XI, one of the main drivers of process hispanicization in Spain, whose rests are conserved in. From the complex we have to remember Saint Hippolyte Church, with medieval structure, except the foot of the nave and the façade, that was totally renewed in the XVIII Century.

Text: J.A.S.C.

Traslated by Sara Moretti