Church of San Pablo: Altars and Chapels (II).

Next to the previous one is the Chapel of Ánimas, located just a few meters from the gospel apse. It was founded in the late 14th century to house the Sotomayor family, who lacked the financial means to remain in the Main Chapel, and thus moved here. Square in shape, it features a roof very similar to the previous one. At the back stands the image that gives the chapel its name, the “Christ of Ánimas“, a beautifully crafted and simply designed Crucified Christ made in the early 17th century. Also noteworthy is a gilded wooden altarpiece attributed to Alonso Gómez de Sandoval, dated to the mid-18th century, featuring images of the archangels “Saint Raphael” and “Saint Michael“.

Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows

The gospel apse currently houses the Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows, dedicated to the Brotherhood of Sorrows, which parades through the streets of Córdoba from Holy Thursday night to Good Friday morning. This sublime sculptural group is the final composition by the exceptional Cordoban sculptor Juan de Mesa, who donated it to his city as his last will before his death. In the Holy Week section, you will find a detailed description of the work.

Main Altar

From the Main Altar, we can highlight a small marble tabernacle decorated with reliefs set in semicircular arches, which supports the images of “Saint Paul“, “Saint Alphonsus“, and a “Virgin and Child” seated on a throne.

Epistle Apse

The Epistle Apse is exactly the same as the one on the gospel side, except that it is decorated with a panel depicting “Saint Anthony Mary Claret” in a blessing gesture. A door provides access to the church facilities, which are currently occupied by the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and which formerly served as the Chapter Chapel.

Chapter Chapel

The Chapter Chapel is the oldest structure in the entire Church of San Pablo, dating back to the Almohad period, when it is believed to have been part of a palace. The Dominicans saw the opportunity to utilize the space during the construction of the Christian temple, and it served multiple purposes from the start, such as a funerary chapel, sacristy, etc. It is a rectangular room divided into three parts, featuring a large pointed arch with an alfiz supported by wide corbels that separates the first and second sections, and a horseshoe arch that divides the second from the third, resting on pairs of columns with Almohad-style capitals. Of great interest is the Hispano-Muslim ribbed vault, which transitions from a square to an octagonal base via half-barrel-shaped squinches. From the sides of the octagon rise eight ribs that cross in parallel, diagonally in pairs, leaving the central space free, where the lantern begins, supported by a second octagon.

Chapel of the Expiration

The Chapel of the Expiration is located at the foot of the epistle nave and is named for housing the titular images of the Brotherhood of the Expiration, which parades on the afternoon and evening of Good Friday. Opposite stands the “Most Holy Christ of the Expiration“, an anonymous work from the late 17th century, next to “Mary Most Holy of Silence“, also anonymous from the 17th century, and on the left side, “Our Lady of the Rosary“, a modern work by the renowned Sevillian sculptor Luis Álvarez Duarte. As previously mentioned, during the restoration carried out in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Adolfo Castiñeyra and Mateo Inurria almost completely restructured the chapel, based on remains consisting of polylobed arches and lattices from past eras. The chapel was redecorated in the Neo-Mudejar style, imitating the plasterwork of the Royal Chapel of the Mosque-Cathedral. Without a doubt, this is a controversial restoration that has stirred much debate in Córdoba’s artistic circles.

Guided Tours

If you wish 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 Pablo. We are experts in the interpretation of Córdoba’s historical heritage. If you have chosen to visit Córdoba, choose a quality option—choose ArtenCórdoba.

Text: J.A.S.C.