Church of San Nicolas - Granada

The Church of San Nicolás is located on the highest point of the hill that forms the Albaycín , next to the remains of an ancient Arab fortress (the Fort of Granada) and on the site of the Azitini Mosque.

The simple and sober church of San Nicolás is in Gothic-Mudejar style and was built in 1525 by Rodrigo Hernández.

In the 19th century it was partially restored after part of the church was destroyed by a lightning strike.

In the summer of 1932, during the Second Republic, numerous religious buildings were set on fire after Sanjurjo's coup, including the Church of San Nicolás. The attackers destroyed the door of the church, and in the middle of the church they built a bonfire with everything that could burn : altars, confessionals, chairs, benches, mats... Only the tower remained standing.

The most famous door of the church of San Nicolás is the one on the side, just behind the belvedere. The entrance to the church is through a vestibule formed by a small side door with a semicircular arch and topped by a simple triangular pediment with a large cartouche.

The church has five side chapels, some with wooden ceilings and others with Gothic ribbed vaults.

The tower has a square plan covered on four sides with Moorish tiles and the eaves are red. It is located in the southwest corner of the church, opposite the cistern of San Nicolás, and is accessed through one of the chapels.

Willem Vandenameele