Church of the Apostle Santiago - Cadiz - Andalusia

The Church of Santiago de Cádiz, located in the Plaza de la Catedral, was the seat of the College of the Society of Jesus of that city, of which today only the church remains.

After the attack and sack of the city of Cádiz in 1596 by the Anglo-Dutch troops led by the Earl of Essex, the college was in such poor condition that the original church was rebuilt . It is currently the Mannerist style , begun by Vignola for Jesus of Rome and adopted by most Jesuit churches.

It has a Latin cross plan, a large nave and a cross with a dome on shells; There are small chapels communicating with each other through the naves . The project of this church , dating back to 1635 , is the work of the Jesuit brother Alonso Romero and the works lasted about twelve years.

Located at the base opposite the Cathedral Square, the main façade is made up of Ionic-style pilasters resting on the wall, made of the traditional masonry so characteristic of this city. The pediments are in Mannerist style marble , one overlooking the square and the other overlooking Santiago Street. It has a single inclined tower with two bodies, the upper octagonal, topped by an original 18th-century spherical dome.

Inside, a series of interesting Baroque altarpieces from the 17th century are preserved, among which the Maggiore Altarpiece, the work of the master assembler Alejandro Saavedra, stands out, while the gilded and polychrome paintings are the work of Juan Gómez Couto.

Willem Vandenameele