Slope and Church of Saint Cayetano
The popular Saint Cayetano Slope was a solitary slope and in the past century the
mayor Alfonso Cruz Conde decided to change. The works were run by the architect Víctor Escribano Ucelay who created a big room very close to the carmelites convent composed by differents ramps and circular parterres. The historians say that he wanted to give a barroque impression to the complex.
Nowadays the comlex would be better appreciated if the cars were not parked there. Fortunately the last part
can not be reached by them.
Ortí Belmonte told us that in the year 1638, the quarrier Andrés Gutiérrez signed a contract to performe the façade of the convent. It is a painted façade in ochre that contrasts with the rest made in stones. It has a beautiful entrance with a serlian (a roman arch flanked by two shoultered arches). Above it you find a niche with a group of sculptures that represents "Saint Joseph with Jesus Child". This sculpture was carried out by Bernabé del Rio, a devote of the temple. The façade ends with a circular split up pediment, put on big pillars, and inside there is a shieldof the Carmelite Order. Two more shields decorate the façade belonging to Doña Beatriz de Haro Portocarrero, "...the founder and first patron of this
convent...", as the headstone says in the Main Altar. The façade is crown by a big triangular pediment, perforated by an oculus that illuminate the central nave. The tower bell has two parts: the first one with two roman arches for the bells, and the second one for one bell. The tower bell ends with a curved pediment, with balls a crorr in the middle.
The church has Latin cross, with one nave covered by a barrel vault with lunettes, dome on groins in the transept and arms very short. The right arm leads you to a sacristy, whereas the links one leads you to the chapel of the sagrary, where there is Nuestro Padre Jesús Caído (Our Father Jesus Fallen), image of the bullfighters` brotherhood.
The primitive paintings decorated the walls of the church are not conserved. Perhaps some paintings of the wainscot, dated XVII Century. Between 1721 and 1724
the dome was decorated and the scenes of Saint John of the Cross `life are represented, the rest of the church was painted between 1724 and 1727. The walls are decorated like horror vaqui that represents a lot of vegetation, rolled leaves and stem with snakes; very frequent are the naked angels, more than 200, with a lot of positions.
Then there are paintings of other founders with the name of: Saint Dominic, Saint Francis of Asissi, Saint Peter Nolasco... In the lunettes of the choir "The Jesus' life" is
represented, and "The Betrothal of Mary" and there are phrases in latin of the Bible.
Under our point of view the most interesting paintings were performed by Fray Juan Bautista Del Santisimo Sacramento in 1667. In the presbitery, next to the epistle we find: "Elias with the fire charriot throwing a cloak to Eliseus", "Saint Theresa" and "Saint John of the Cross". In the Evangelist Side there is the "Virgin of Carmen".
In the entrance the wall of the tabernacle chapel there are two paintngs: one represents a tree that symbolizes the order whose log is the Virgin of Carmen. The other painting is "The Fountain of Elias in the Paradise". Apparently - we have not yet come - the better paintings of this author are in the cloister where there is the "Announcement of Maria", and "The Presentation of the Temple"...
mayor Alfonso Cruz Conde decided to change. The works were run by the architect Víctor Escribano Ucelay who created a big room very close to the carmelites convent composed by differents ramps and circular parterres. The historians say that he wanted to give a barroque impression to the complex.
Nowadays the comlex would be better appreciated if the cars were not parked there. Fortunately the last part
can not be reached by them.
Ortí Belmonte told us that in the year 1638, the quarrier Andrés Gutiérrez signed a contract to performe the façade of the convent. It is a painted façade in ochre that contrasts with the rest made in stones. It has a beautiful entrance with a serlian (a roman arch flanked by two shoultered arches). Above it you find a niche with a group of sculptures that represents "Saint Joseph with Jesus Child". This sculpture was carried out by Bernabé del Rio, a devote of the temple. The façade ends with a circular split up pediment, put on big pillars, and inside there is a shieldof the Carmelite Order. Two more shields decorate the façade belonging to Doña Beatriz de Haro Portocarrero, "...the founder and first patron of this
convent...", as the headstone says in the Main Altar. The façade is crown by a big triangular pediment, perforated by an oculus that illuminate the central nave. The tower bell has two parts: the first one with two roman arches for the bells, and the second one for one bell. The tower bell ends with a curved pediment, with balls a crorr in the middle.
The church has Latin cross, with one nave covered by a barrel vault with lunettes, dome on groins in the transept and arms very short. The right arm leads you to a sacristy, whereas the links one leads you to the chapel of the sagrary, where there is Nuestro Padre Jesús Caído (Our Father Jesus Fallen), image of the bullfighters` brotherhood.
The primitive paintings decorated the walls of the church are not conserved. Perhaps some paintings of the wainscot, dated XVII Century. Between 1721 and 1724
the dome was decorated and the scenes of Saint John of the Cross `life are represented, the rest of the church was painted between 1724 and 1727. The walls are decorated like horror vaqui that represents a lot of vegetation, rolled leaves and stem with snakes; very frequent are the naked angels, more than 200, with a lot of positions.
Then there are paintings of other founders with the name of: Saint Dominic, Saint Francis of Asissi, Saint Peter Nolasco... In the lunettes of the choir "The Jesus' life" is
represented, and "The Betrothal of Mary" and there are phrases in latin of the Bible.
Under our point of view the most interesting paintings were performed by Fray Juan Bautista Del Santisimo Sacramento in 1667. In the presbitery, next to the epistle we find: "Elias with the fire charriot throwing a cloak to Eliseus", "Saint Theresa" and "Saint John of the Cross". In the Evangelist Side there is the "Virgin of Carmen".
In the entrance the wall of the tabernacle chapel there are two paintngs: one represents a tree that symbolizes the order whose log is the Virgin of Carmen. The other painting is "The Fountain of Elias in the Paradise". Apparently - we have not yet come - the better paintings of this author are in the cloister where there is the "Announcement of Maria", and "The Presentation of the Temple"...
Text: J.A.S.C.
Traslated by Sara Moretti
Art, Culture and Tourism in Cordoba