Ancient Hospital of Saint Sebastian
This building was performed between 1512 and 1516 by Hernán Ruiz the Old
, supported by the Brotherhood of Saint Sebastian. The place chosen was a place called as "Cardenal Court", situated in front of the occidental side of the Mosque, that is Torrijos Street. The place was used as purification room during the muslim period, in the west side of the Mosque-Cathedral.
The brotherhood of Saint Sebastian was run by the town council and began its function in the XIV century. After different changes of place they decided to build a hospital that took care of ill people. However this was not the unique aim of the hospital, in fact since the beginning of the XIX Century it was an orphanate
that kept children, so it was known as the "Cot House" or the "Expositos House".
The cordovan society was aware of the problem of the children, abandoned in the streets of the city and many of them along the riverside. For this reason the brotherhood was created, and as a temporary measure was enabled one of the cellblocks of the Orange Trees Courtyard of the Mosque, and it was set on one side of the Mosque. Even one of the doors was called "The Milk Door".
In that period the richman Juan Fernández de Córdoba is convinced by Don Juan de Ávila to build the hospital. Previously he brought the jesuitas to his house, then his house was transformed
in a church. Nowadays this church is known as Company of Jesus Church.
The building belonged to the Provincial Council of Córdoba in 1850 and followed its aim as hospital and maternity hospital till 1961. In this year the house is closed for twenty years. Today it is the Congress and Exhibition Palace besides the ancient church is the tourist office information, and the
entrance is free.
The original shape of the building is conserved, the façade, the church and above all the court. The building is a mixture of styles: italian renaissance, gothic and mudejar.
The church has a rectanglar plan amd it is divided into two parts: the oratory and the presbitery, the nerves of the vaults are gothic and they are put on coverings on the tribunes are put on the sides of the church from which the religious could follow the mass.
The court has a rectangular shape with two arcades of roman
sloping arches.
The most spottable is the façade made by Hernán Ruiz I in 1516. It is very deteriorated becase of the time and because of the materials employed, it is made with vegetable and zoomorphic decorations.
The entrance is composed by three low arches that it seems to be shoultered. Then there is a blind arch, framed by jambs, whose mouldings are like a ogee arch, that rests on the mentioned access vain. The tympanum keeps three sculptures of Saint Peter, Saint Sebastian and Saint Paul. We find more sculptures put on mantelpiece and covered by fine cornice. Over the blind arch develops tracery decorations, typical of Gothic and crowned by crest.
, supported by the Brotherhood of Saint Sebastian. The place chosen was a place called as "Cardenal Court", situated in front of the occidental side of the Mosque, that is Torrijos Street. The place was used as purification room during the muslim period, in the west side of the Mosque-Cathedral.
The brotherhood of Saint Sebastian was run by the town council and began its function in the XIV century. After different changes of place they decided to build a hospital that took care of ill people. However this was not the unique aim of the hospital, in fact since the beginning of the XIX Century it was an orphanate
that kept children, so it was known as the "Cot House" or the "Expositos House".
The cordovan society was aware of the problem of the children, abandoned in the streets of the city and many of them along the riverside. For this reason the brotherhood was created, and as a temporary measure was enabled one of the cellblocks of the Orange Trees Courtyard of the Mosque, and it was set on one side of the Mosque. Even one of the doors was called "The Milk Door".
In that period the richman Juan Fernández de Córdoba is convinced by Don Juan de Ávila to build the hospital. Previously he brought the jesuitas to his house, then his house was transformed
in a church. Nowadays this church is known as Company of Jesus Church.
The building belonged to the Provincial Council of Córdoba in 1850 and followed its aim as hospital and maternity hospital till 1961. In this year the house is closed for twenty years. Today it is the Congress and Exhibition Palace besides the ancient church is the tourist office information, and the
entrance is free.
The original shape of the building is conserved, the façade, the church and above all the court. The building is a mixture of styles: italian renaissance, gothic and mudejar.
The church has a rectanglar plan amd it is divided into two parts: the oratory and the presbitery, the nerves of the vaults are gothic and they are put on coverings on the tribunes are put on the sides of the church from which the religious could follow the mass.
The court has a rectangular shape with two arcades of roman
sloping arches.
The most spottable is the façade made by Hernán Ruiz I in 1516. It is very deteriorated becase of the time and because of the materials employed, it is made with vegetable and zoomorphic decorations.
The entrance is composed by three low arches that it seems to be shoultered. Then there is a blind arch, framed by jambs, whose mouldings are like a ogee arch, that rests on the mentioned access vain. The tympanum keeps three sculptures of Saint Peter, Saint Sebastian and Saint Paul. We find more sculptures put on mantelpiece and covered by fine cornice. Over the blind arch develops tracery decorations, typical of Gothic and crowned by crest.
Text: J.A.S.C.
Traslated by Sara Moretti
Art, Culture and Tourism in Cordoba