Holy Chapel of El Salvador

12/02/20 | 12:15

The Sacra Capilla del Salvador or Holy Chapel of El Salvador is a church located in Úbeda (Jaén) that dates back to the 16th century. It belongs to the monumental complex that together with Baeza, it was declared as World Heritage Site in 2003.

Plan your cultural visit to the Holy Chapel

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HOLY CHAPEL

Francisco de los Cobos, Charles I’s Secretary of State, ordered to build the Holy Chapel. It was aimed to be its pantheon annexe to the palace he had in Úbeda.

The project began in 1536. There worked well-known artists. A first design was entrusted to Diego de Siloé and then to Andrés de Vandelvira.

Construction works finished in 1559 and then it was consecrated. It is one of the most important examples of religious architecture of the Spanish Renaissance.

POINTS OF INTEREST IN THE HOLY CHAPEL

Its exterior has a ad triangulum plan since its structure is shaped like a triangle. There is a tower with a roof of Central European style on one of its sides.

Its magnificent Plateresque facade was designed by Esteban Jamete. It shines with the sunlight because of the brown tones.

The coats of arms of the Cobos and Mendoza families appear on the main facade

It is distributed in three bodies. In the first one, the entrance door has a representation of the gods of the Roman pantheon such as Aeolus, Neptune, Venus or Jupiter in the intrados

Scenes of the Book of Exodus are represented on the frieze. On both sides are the coat of arms of the Cobos and Mendoza families.

Scenes of the Hercules’ works starred in the second body. There is also a relief of the Transfiguración de Jesús en el Monte Tabor.

Finally, the third body has an opening included in a round arch and crowned by a triangular pediment.

Lateral facades follows the same pattern as the main one. On one hand, the meridional holds niches where San Juan Evangelista, Bautista and San Marcos appear. On the other hand, the northern facade is also very popular and it holds a figure of Santiago Matamoros.

The main altar, made by Berruguete, has a wooden altarpiece about the transfiguration of Jesus. The virtuosity of the sculptor gives the altarpiece a spectacular dynamism and solemnity. It suffered damages during the Spanish Civil War.

The sacristy is one of the most important in the Spanish Renaissance art. One of its most outstanding feature is the splendid carved decoration where vices and and virtues are represented.

The entrance door will call your attention because of its location on a corner.

Some caryatids with flower basket on their head decorate the entablature. Under the canopy is the Virgen de la Paz.