Capuchin's Square in Cordoba, Spain
Capuchins's Square
It has this name due to the franciscan convent at the beginning of the XVII
Century. It has a rectangular plan, closed, and it is whitewashed. The renowned architect Rafael de la Hoz said: "it was never done so much with so little".
This square has two entrances one situated in the Bailío Slope and the other one from the Doblas Square. If we get into through the Bailío Slope we can see the Cristo de los Faroles (Christ of the Lanterns) and if we enter from the Doblas Square the façade of Church of Capuchins Convent is there.
Fray Félix de Granada bought to Marquis of Almunia, in 1629, a house in the Corbacho Door, and on it was built the Friars Capuchins Convent. The works were
ended in 1633, building a church later, the church has a unique nave covered by a dome on groins. The façade had three roman arches, nowadays there is only a central one, with a niche and Saint Francis inside it, flanked by little triangular arches. The complex is ended with a triangular pediment perforeted by a little oculus.
The monks suffered different attemps of eviction, one by José Bonaparte in 1810 and the other by the General Riesgo in 1821. Later with Mendizabal’s eviction in 1835 the
convent was sold and pulled down, remain the mitra church. A lot of goods were exproriated: the Holy Family by José de Ribera "Il Espagnoletto".
The primitive Hospital of Saint Hyacinth and Saint John was founded in 1596 by Fray Pedro del Castillo in a place near Church of Saint John of the Knights, today Slaves of the Sacred Hear Church. The hospital was there till 1717, the year when the Father Posadas moved it to the square that occupies it, in front of the capuchins's convent.
The square has two entrances one for the hospital and the other for the church. The façade is shoultered and it is framed with a triangular split up pediment, which has
a niche with the Our Lady of Sorrows. The cover of the hospital, which also leads to the foot of the church, presents a similar pattern to the previous, except that the curved pediment and the image is now displayed in the niche of "Saint Hyacinth", the patron saint the hospital and we are under the shield of Bishop Marcelino Siuri, sponsor of the works.
The Church of Sorrows has a plant with a single nave, covered by a barrel vault and dome on scallops in the cruise.
An exceptional neoclassical dressing room located at the top, which houses the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, popularly known as the "Madam of Córdoba" made by Juan Prieto in 1719. One of the altars naxt to the Gospel Side is presided by the Christ of Clemency, owner of the Brotherhood of Sorrows, made by the sevillian sculpter Amadeo Ruiz Olmos in 1939.
But the most important Christ is the Christ of the Lanterns, made by the sculpter Juan Navarro. The real name of the Christ is Holy Christ Amendment and Mercifulness, as the headstone tells us. And on the walls of the convent there are these sntences: "All the believers that pray a credo in front of this image of the Holy Christ Amendment and Mercifulness, will gain three hundred and sixty days of indulgences. Year 1794". This image is sculpted in stone and it is illuminated by eight lanterns. It is a very mystic place.
Century. It has a rectangular plan, closed, and it is whitewashed. The renowned architect Rafael de la Hoz said: "it was never done so much with so little".
This square has two entrances one situated in the Bailío Slope and the other one from the Doblas Square. If we get into through the Bailío Slope we can see the Cristo de los Faroles (Christ of the Lanterns) and if we enter from the Doblas Square the façade of Church of Capuchins Convent is there.
Fray Félix de Granada bought to Marquis of Almunia, in 1629, a house in the Corbacho Door, and on it was built the Friars Capuchins Convent. The works were
ended in 1633, building a church later, the church has a unique nave covered by a dome on groins. The façade had three roman arches, nowadays there is only a central one, with a niche and Saint Francis inside it, flanked by little triangular arches. The complex is ended with a triangular pediment perforeted by a little oculus.
The monks suffered different attemps of eviction, one by José Bonaparte in 1810 and the other by the General Riesgo in 1821. Later with Mendizabal’s eviction in 1835 the
convent was sold and pulled down, remain the mitra church. A lot of goods were exproriated: the Holy Family by José de Ribera "Il Espagnoletto".
The primitive Hospital of Saint Hyacinth and Saint John was founded in 1596 by Fray Pedro del Castillo in a place near Church of Saint John of the Knights, today Slaves of the Sacred Hear Church. The hospital was there till 1717, the year when the Father Posadas moved it to the square that occupies it, in front of the capuchins's convent.
The square has two entrances one for the hospital and the other for the church. The façade is shoultered and it is framed with a triangular split up pediment, which has
a niche with the Our Lady of Sorrows. The cover of the hospital, which also leads to the foot of the church, presents a similar pattern to the previous, except that the curved pediment and the image is now displayed in the niche of "Saint Hyacinth", the patron saint the hospital and we are under the shield of Bishop Marcelino Siuri, sponsor of the works.
The Church of Sorrows has a plant with a single nave, covered by a barrel vault and dome on scallops in the cruise.
An exceptional neoclassical dressing room located at the top, which houses the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, popularly known as the "Madam of Córdoba" made by Juan Prieto in 1719. One of the altars naxt to the Gospel Side is presided by the Christ of Clemency, owner of the Brotherhood of Sorrows, made by the sevillian sculpter Amadeo Ruiz Olmos in 1939.
But the most important Christ is the Christ of the Lanterns, made by the sculpter Juan Navarro. The real name of the Christ is Holy Christ Amendment and Mercifulness, as the headstone tells us. And on the walls of the convent there are these sntences: "All the believers that pray a credo in front of this image of the Holy Christ Amendment and Mercifulness, will gain three hundred and sixty days of indulgences. Year 1794". This image is sculpted in stone and it is illuminated by eight lanterns. It is a very mystic place.
Carlos Clementson wrote:
The time has remained stopped and white,
in a middle of a square
where a Christ under a moon
suffers without respite year after year.
Text: J.A.S.C.
Traslated by Sara Moretti
Art, Culture and Tourism in Cordoba