Church of St. Francis and St. Eulogius: The Building.

The layout of the Church of San Francisco consists of a single nave and a large transept, with side chapels located on the epistle side, between buttresses, and altars on the gospel side. The apse is composed of three polygonal apses with buttresses that are visible from the outside; currently, only the central apse and the one on the gospel side preserve their original state. The support used was the angled pillar, which supported the entrance arches of the apsidal chapels and the toral arches, as well as the columns at the corners of the polygonal apses.

An interesting fact is the lack of uniformity between the supports and the different elements of the vaults, which suggests that there were two construction phases: a first phase from the ground up to the start of the vaults, and a second phase in which the covering of the building was completed. All the vaults were ribbed, with four cells, except in the apse, which had six. Their ribs were made of a molding, which could be rounded, as in the chapels, or pointed, as in the transept.

Historical transformations

The first transformations suffered by the medieval church date from the 17th century, with the renovation of several chapels, such as the one dedicated to Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Oración en el Huerto. At the end of the century, the convent’s cloister was built, of which remnants remain, though part of it disappeared in 1836 after the Disentailment.

It was in the 18th century when the Church of San Francisco underwent the most significant renovations, consisting of the transformation of the medieval complex into a Baroque temple. A new doorway was created. Inside, the architect Francisco López altered the layout of the apse and central nave, as well as the Chapel of Our Lady of the Pillar.

The interior of the temple

Today, the Church of San Francisco bears little resemblance to what it originally was. The central nave is now covered by a large barrel vault with lunettes, and access to the chapels is through semicircular arches resting on large pillars. At the foot of the nave stands the choir, which extends along the sides like a gallery. The white walls of the church contrast with the bluish-gray decoration and the gold elements scattered throughout the temple.

The transept is presided over by an exceptional oval dome supported on pendentives decorated with images of illustrious figures from the Franciscan order. Everything is richly decorated, in the style of the period, with plasterwork adding drama and movement to the whole. The arms of the transept extend to both sides, from where the side apses emerge.

The old cloister and surroundings

On the exterior, the two remaining wings of the old convent’s cloister stand out. It is a two-story cloister, both levels visible from the outside through semicircular arches on slender smooth-shaft columns with Tuscan capitals, resting on pedestals. The arrangement of the arches follows a two-to-one ratio, meaning that for each arch on the ground floor, there are two on the upper level. Otherwise, it stands out for its great austerity, in contrast with the interior of the church.

The street leading to the church evokes the days of the monastery; it is Calle Compás de San Francisco. This area was accessed through the Puerta del Compás, which connects it to the Calle de la Feria. The Puerta del Compás was built at the end of the 18th century and features a semicircular arch flanked by two pairs of pilasters with Ionic capitals on pedestals. Above the arch is a niche that once housed a statue of “San Francisco“, now missing. The view of the Church of San Francisco from this gate is exceptional.

The façade

The façade is very simple, topped with a large triangular pediment crowned with Herrerian-style spheres. The stone doorway is divided into three vertical and three horizontal sections. The first level features a semicircular entrance arch with pilasters on pedestals and geometric decoration. The second level, above a continuous entablature, houses a scalloped niche with a white marble statue of “San Fernando“, shown crowned and holding a sword. The third level of the doorway is topped by a flat-topped opening, flanked by small columns supporting a broken circular pediment. Notably, the different levels of the various elements on the façade give the whole structure great plasticity and dynamism.

Visiting the Church of San Francisco

If you’re wondering what to visit in Córdoba, a great option would be the Fernandine Churches, by choosing one of our guided tours. This way, you can learn everything about the Church of San Francisco. Choosing to engage in quality tourism means choosing ArtenCórdoba.

Text: J.A.S.C.