Church of St. Peter and St. Pau - Granada

In a pronounced bend in the Llera del Darro, at the foot of the Alhambra and in front of the Casa de Castril, seat of the Archaeological Museum of Granada, is the Church of Sant Pere and Sant Pau.

The parish church of Sant Pere and Sant Pau was designed in the mid-16th century .

In order to build the current temple, the Baños Mosque , which had been built as a parish for Christian worship, was demolished in 1559 in 1501. The church was completed in 1567. The sacristy and the tower had to be rebuilt between 1580 and 1593.

The temple has two entrance doors . One on the left, drawn by Juan de Maeda. This door is depicted in a semicircular arch, with reliefs of the apostles on the handles and flanked by Corinthian half-columns . Above the entablature is a semi-circular arched niche crowned with a pediment containing an Immaculate Conception and below the text "Tu regis Alli janua et porta lucis fulgida".

The main entrance is at the foot of the temple and opens onto a small esplanade with a stone cross in the centre. To the right of the portal is a large bell tower.

The main chapel is rectangular in plan and stands on a podium with a staircase and houses a central tabernacle in gilded wood.

At the foot of the temple, the heart is closed by a wrought iron balustrade . Contains the organ.

One of the most notable works of the Church of Sant Pere y Sant Pau is an engraving of San Francisco de Paula, the work of Pedro de Mena, from the Convento de los Mínims, a Pieta, by M. Gerónimo de Ciezar. In Santa Rita of the Agustins Convent, a crucifix attributed to Pablo de Rojas. A Saint Isidre and Christ by José de Mora paraded on Palm Sunday.

From this church, located on Passeig dels Tristes , the Hermandad del Rocío de Granada leaves for Almonte every year after a Rociera mass. It also permanently houses three brotherhoods, two of penance and one of glory. On Palm Sunday there is a procession of "Las Maravillas" and on Easter Monday "Los Dolores" . But the most moving procession is undoubtedly that of “El Silenci”, which takes place on Maundy Thursday.

Willem Vandenameele