Hermitage Our Lady of Help
Passing the "Low Arch" of the Corredera Square situated in the east part of it, we
find the entrance of the Hermitage Our Lady of Help (Ermita del Socorro), situated in the little square of the same name. This proximity between the big arch and the façade of the hermitage gives to the zone a clear charm.
The façade of the temple is simple and plain. The entrance has a roman arch with a standing out key. It is flanked by a double pillar that keeps an entablature with metopes and trygliphs. In the second part there is the image of "Our Lady of Help", situated in the middle of a niche. Below it there is an inscription with this
message: "Se acavo esta obra á Onrra i gloria de Dios Nuestro Señor Jesuxpto i de la siempre Virgen Sta Maria, Su bendita Madre…" (“This work was ended thank to the glory of our Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, and her blessed Mother...”). Laterally there are two oculus in order to illuminate the temple and there is a third situated in the triangular pediment in the part that ends the complex.
In the past the hermitage was a hospital in the XV Century, and it was known under the name of Holy Trinity and Our Lady of Angels, whose façade was in front of the Corredera Square. Nowadays it is in front of Nuestra Señora del Socorro Square. Since the pest that struck the city in the XVII Century, it wa
s denominated Hospital of the Corredera of Our Lady of Help. When the Corregidor (Mayor) Francisco Ronquillo Briceño ordered to build the Corredera in 1685, it adapted the hermitage to the nowadays building.
When we enter into the church we find an easy Latin cross plan covered by a barrel vault with a lunette, and the transept covered by an oval vault with groins. The altarpiece was carried out by Alonso Gómez Caballero in the XVIII Century, a Zambrano’s pupil then there is a sculpture made
by an anonymous. This sculpture represents the Our Lady of Help. This is one of the most ancient virgins of our city (XVII Century). Undoubtedly, one of the "glory" with more character that processions in our city.
In the arms of the transept there are two little altars, the Altar of the Christ of Troubles, a Christ of Troubles made with polychromated wood and Saint John and Our Lady of Sorrows, anonymous of the XVIII Century. Then there are some paintings of the XVIII century such as the "Souls of the Purgatory".
Finally we have to mention the Altars of Saint Raphael Archangel with an image of the angel custody by Alonso Gómez Sandoval and the Altar of Saint Joseph, performad by Murillo who ended a work made by Teodosio Sánchez de Rueda.
find the entrance of the Hermitage Our Lady of Help (Ermita del Socorro), situated in the little square of the same name. This proximity between the big arch and the façade of the hermitage gives to the zone a clear charm.
The façade of the temple is simple and plain. The entrance has a roman arch with a standing out key. It is flanked by a double pillar that keeps an entablature with metopes and trygliphs. In the second part there is the image of "Our Lady of Help", situated in the middle of a niche. Below it there is an inscription with this
message: "Se acavo esta obra á Onrra i gloria de Dios Nuestro Señor Jesuxpto i de la siempre Virgen Sta Maria, Su bendita Madre…" (“This work was ended thank to the glory of our Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, and her blessed Mother...”). Laterally there are two oculus in order to illuminate the temple and there is a third situated in the triangular pediment in the part that ends the complex.
In the past the hermitage was a hospital in the XV Century, and it was known under the name of Holy Trinity and Our Lady of Angels, whose façade was in front of the Corredera Square. Nowadays it is in front of Nuestra Señora del Socorro Square. Since the pest that struck the city in the XVII Century, it wa
s denominated Hospital of the Corredera of Our Lady of Help. When the Corregidor (Mayor) Francisco Ronquillo Briceño ordered to build the Corredera in 1685, it adapted the hermitage to the nowadays building.
When we enter into the church we find an easy Latin cross plan covered by a barrel vault with a lunette, and the transept covered by an oval vault with groins. The altarpiece was carried out by Alonso Gómez Caballero in the XVIII Century, a Zambrano’s pupil then there is a sculpture made
by an anonymous. This sculpture represents the Our Lady of Help. This is one of the most ancient virgins of our city (XVII Century). Undoubtedly, one of the "glory" with more character that processions in our city.
In the arms of the transept there are two little altars, the Altar of the Christ of Troubles, a Christ of Troubles made with polychromated wood and Saint John and Our Lady of Sorrows, anonymous of the XVIII Century. Then there are some paintings of the XVIII century such as the "Souls of the Purgatory".
Finally we have to mention the Altars of Saint Raphael Archangel with an image of the angel custody by Alonso Gómez Sandoval and the Altar of Saint Joseph, performad by Murillo who ended a work made by Teodosio Sánchez de Rueda.
Text: J.A.S.C.
Traslated by Sara Moretti
Art, Culture and Tourism in Cordoba