Church of San Nicolás de la Villa

Fernando III the Saint founded two parishes under the patronage of Saint Nicholas in our city after its conquest, one in the Villa and the other in the Ajerquía. Unfortunately, the latter has not been preserved, unlike the one we are dealing with, which we have records of since 1264, the date of a letter from the chapter of the Cathedral that mentions it. However, this letter does not refer to the building itself, so we have to wait until 1357 to find a document that expressly certifies the existence of the church.

Architectural evolution of the Church of San Nicolás de la Villa

By the mid-14th century, the apse of the Church of San Nicolás de la Villa had been completed, while the side aisles were built throughout the rest of the century and probably the early 15th century. However, the temple does not retain its original layout, as it has undergone numerous transformations over time, such as the portal designed by Hernán Ruiz II around 1555 on the north side, the same year the works on the Baptism Chapel are believed to have been completed.

During the first third of the 18th century, the entrance portal of the church was built, but only the rings of the rose window that once crowned it have survived. Shortly thereafter, between 1771 and 1773, a crypt was constructed beneath the temple, which is currently used for storage. Interestingly, in the 1970s, Friar Ricardo of Córdoba found within it an entirely forgotten candlestick image of the Virgin, which was restored and blessed under the name María Santísima de Gracia y Amparo. Today, she is a co-patron image of the Hermandad de la Sentencia, which parades through the streets of Córdoba on Holy Monday afternoon.

Also dating to the 18th century are the false Baroque groin vaults, the current flooring, the marble plinth, and the steps of the High Altar.

The parish and its urban setting

From the beginning, San Nicolás de la Villa was a parish inhabited by some of the most noble families of the city, among them that of Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, the Great Captain. Unfortunately, none of the ancestral houses they lived in have survived, although some of their names remain reflected in street names like Conde de Gondomar Street. The city’s westward expansion has led this central neighborhood to gain importance over time, becoming what it is today—the city’s premier commercial center.

Historic gates and nearby monuments

One of the most popular entrances to the neighborhood was the so-called Puerta Gallegos, the gate through which the Galician host accompanying King Fernando III the Saint is believed to have entered. Although it no longer exists, having been destroyed in 1864, the area is still known by its old name.

Also of great interest is the Collegiate Church of San Hipólito, a project promoted by Alfonso XI, one of the main drivers of the Castilianization process in Spain, and where his remains are interred. Notable within the complex is the Church of San Hipólito, which still stands and retains much of its medieval structure, except for the nave’s entrance and the main façade, which was completely renovated in the 18th century.

The building

The Church of San Nicolás de la Villa features a floor plan with three naves laid out from west to east, the central one being wider and taller than the side aisles, with an apse made up of three rectangular chapels. This represents a major difference from the typical layout of Fernandine Churches, which usually have polygonal apses with exterior buttresses. The naves are connected by three large pointed arches supported by cruciform pillars with reddish marble bases. The central nave is topped by a splendid wooden coffered ceiling made in 1558, polygonal in structure and decorated with octagons. In contrast, the side naves are covered by Gothic-style false groin vaults, hiding the original wooden roofs.

Baptism Chapel

At the foot of the epistle side nave is the entrance that leads to the interior of the tower, as well as the Baptism Chapel, a small rectangular space accessed through two semicircular arches. It is believed the chapel was built between 1540 and 1555 under the patronage of Don Leopoldo of Austria, as his coats of arms appear in the spandrels of the entrance arches. The design is attributed to Hernán Ruiz II the Younger, and the decoration to Sebastián de Peñarredonda. The nave ends with two small sections of Gothic rib vaults, as does the epistle side nave.

Rooms and interior spaces

On the epistle side nave are the church’s ancillary rooms, accessed through a door flanked by two Doric marble columns supporting a beautifully crafted broken triangular pediment. The portal, of marked classical style, features high-quality reliefs, notably the representations of the Evangelists and the Annunciation of Mary. These rooms will be discussed in the section Altars and Chapels, which focuses on the movable assets of this magnificent monument.

Façades and entrances

Main façade

The main façade of the Church of San Nicolás de la Villa no longer exists, having been demolished in the 18th century to build the choir and open a window that was later turned into a rose window, though its tracery was also remodeled. It is believed to have followed the typical layout of 13th-century churches, flanked by buttresses and featuring a pointed entrance with molded archivolts over small columns.

Epistle side entrance

The entrance on the epistle side retains its medieval appearance and, as can be seen, follows the typical layout of Fernandine Churches, with the particularity of being protected by a 16th-century portico that covers the remnants of what was likely a traditional projecting roof supported by roll modillions, common in our city. It is believed the portico may have originally been wider, possibly extending into what is now the sacristy entrance. Nearly rectangular in shape, it is supported by semicircular arches resting on smooth-shafted columns with reused capitals, possibly from the Caliphate period.

Gospel side entrance

The entrance on the gospel side does not retain its medieval appearance. It is thought to have been remodeled following works on the tower, with the architect Hernán Ruiz II the Younger responsible for its construction after completing the Baptism Chapel. The entrance, in Plateresque style, is characterized by its great simplicity, with a niche in the second level housing the image of the church’s patron saint.

The tower

The tower was built in 1496, as stated in the inscription at its base: This tower was built at the expense of this Church during the time of Pope Alexander VI and the high Princes Don Fernando and Doña Isabel, when Granada was taken by them and Don Iñigo Manrique was Bishop. It was completed on May 13, 1496, in praise of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a highly original example in Córdoba, with a square base topped by an octagonal body, which in turn is crowned by a bell tower added in the 18th century.

Altars and Chapels

Gospel nave

We begin our tour in the gospel nave, specifically with the Altar of Saint Rita, the work of Jorge Mejía, who created most of the altarpieces in the Church of San Nicolás de la Villa. Located next to the door leading to the tower, this small gilded wooden altarpiece features a single panel and two levels, with Solomonic columns adorned with vegetal motifs standing out as the main decorative elements.

Of similar characteristics is the Altar of Saint Joseph, located in the same gospel apse; the only difference is that it is presided over by a polychrome wooden sculpture of Saint Joseph, while the former features one of Saint Rita.

Baptism Chapel

Of special interest is the Baptism Chapel, designed by Hernán Ruiz II and decorated by Sebastián de Peñarredonda between 1540 and 1555, as previously mentioned. The square space is topped with a magnificent oval vault over pendentives, where the harmonious combination of sky blues, ochres, and golds draws us toward the Heavenly Realm, the setting for the Crowning of the Virgin Mary.

The pendentives are decorated with scallop shells, each depicting a prophet. Between the pendentives are reliefs, among which a splendid Baptism of Christ stands out.

Gospel apse

The Gospel Apse is presided over by a magnificent pictorial altarpiece in gilded wood, created by Juan Prieto around 1713, which underwent a major renovation by Alonso Gómez de Sandoval in 1781. It is a small altar with three panels and two levels, featuring a sculpture of Saint Francis of Paola, the only statue in the altarpiece, depicted with a hermit’s staff and gazing heavenward in supplication.

Above him is a depiction of Saint Bartholomew at the moment of his martyrdom. On either side are a Saint Joseph with the Child and a Saint Martin, shown sharing his cloak with a beggar. All paintings are from the mid-18th century and attributed to Sebastián Martínez, including the Calvary that crowns the ensemble.

Main Altar

The Main Altar features a splendid altarpiece, created in the early 18th century by Jorge Mejía to replace a severely deteriorated previous one. Made of gilded wood, it is divided into three panels and two levels, with notable use of Solomonic columns, fitting perfectly within the apse’s dimensions.

At the center is a statue of the temple’s patron saint, Saint Nicholas of Bari, depicted with a bishop’s mitre and crozier. Flanking him are statues of the archangels Saint Raphael and Saint Michael. The second level narrows as it ascends toward the vault’s keystone, culminating in a magnificent Calvary, a work by Manuel Gómez y Góngora around 1801.

Epistle apse

In the Epistle Apse we find an altarpiece similar in style to that of the Gospel Apse, although this one lacks sculptures. It is the Altar of Our Lady of Bethlehem. Created by Jorge Mejía, this gilded and polychromed wooden altarpiece is decorated with five paintings.

At the center is Our Lady of Bethlehem, a Virgin and Child image that gives the altar its name. Below is an Adoration of the Magi, and to either side are the Annunciation of Mary and the Visitation of Mary to Saint Elizabeth. Crowning the altarpiece is an Archangel Saint Michael, which some speculate may be the work of Acisclo Antonio Palomino.

Epistle nave

In the nave on the epistle side stands the Altar of Souls, which houses the images of Our Father Jesus of the Sentence, a work by Juan Martínez Cerrillo circa 1945, and Mary Most Holy of Grace and Protection, an anonymous 17th-century candlestick sculpture. Both belong to the Brotherhood of the Sentence, which parades through the city’s streets on Holy Monday afternoons.

Guided tours and heritage

If you would like to discover the Fernandine Churches, do not hesitate to book one of our guided tours. We will pay special attention to the Church of San Nicolás de la Villa. We are experts in the interpretation of Córdoba’s historical heritage. If you have chosen to explore tourism in Córdoba, choose a quality option—choose ArtenCórdoba.

Text: J.A.S.C.