Church of San Pedro, Ciudad Real

In the heart of Ciudad Real, Spain, stands the magnificent Church of San Pedro, locally known as Iglesia de San Pedro. This Gothic marvel, declared a Bien de Interés Cultural, invites visitors to step back in time and immerse themselves in its rich history and architectural splendor.

The History of the Church of San Pedro

The Church of San Pedro was commissioned by the illustrious Caballeros de la Flor y Nata de Ciudad Real (Velarde, Céspedes, and Treviño) in the latter half of the 14th century. Originally dedicated to both Saint Peter and Saint Paul, the church’s construction spanned several decades, with numerous artistic styles being incorporated over time. This amalgamation of styles, along with construction challenges, resulted in the church's fortress-like appearance, characterized by its low central nave and robust buttresses on the northern side. The construction was finally completed in the 15th century, and the church, along with the churches of Santiago and Santa María (now the cathedral), formed the religious nucleus of the city when Ciudad Real was granted city status in 1420.

In 1615, the parish enlisted the services of a local architect to build a choir at the church's western end. By 1765, this location also housed the Altar of Our Lady of the Guide, a Churrigueresque masterpiece featuring a silver-seated image of the Virgin, facing away from the main altar. The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 caused significant damage, leading to the destruction of the roof and the destabilization of one of the interior columns.

The Spanish Civil War brought further turmoil to the Church of San Pedro. An anarchist militia from the Torres de Valdepeñas Battalion wreaked havoc on the church's artistic heritage, destroying religious images, parts of the choir, and the alabaster altarpiece of the Virgin of Loreto in the Alonso de Coca Chapel. The church was repurposed as a tank garage, and its tower was armed with machine guns, making it a strategic point in the city.

From 1948 to 1989, the parish was under the stewardship of the Claretian Fathers. In 1974, the church was declared a historical-artistic monument, and it currently holds the status of a Bien de Interés Cultural.

The Architecture of the Church of San Pedro

The Church of San Pedro boasts a basilical layout with three naves separated by clustered pillars adorned with eight attached columns. The naves are divided into four sections, with the largest being closest to the apse. Despite its solid construction, the church exemplifies Gothic principles, aiming for open and luminous interiors. The naves feature groin vaults, while the central vault of the transept is a ribbed vault, the most ornate in the church. The single polygonal apse, covered with a ribbed vault, has seven small sides and five central ogival twin windows. Over the years, three chapels were added to the naves, two flanking the apse and one larger chapel on the southern side.

The Tower

The church’s simple yet imposing tower is integrated into the building, protruding from the southwestern side. It comprises a base approximately one meter high, two large sections of equal height (with the first being slightly thicker), and a smaller upper section adorned with heraldic shields. The slate spire, built in the 18th century, features two clock faces, four small Gothic arched windows with Vatican shields, and a small bell with a roof crowning the tower.

The Portals

The Church of San Pedro has three portals:

The Puerta del Perdón: Named because the prison of the Holy Brotherhood was located in front of it since 1302, this portal blends Romanesque and Gothic elements. It likely served as the church's main entrance initially. The portal has three sections separated by pronounced buttresses, with the central section featuring the entrance arches. A beaded molding divides the central section into two parts, with a rose window in the upper part and a slightly pointed arch below, adorned with diamond points and four beaded archivolts decorated with rosettes. The final archivolt has abundant and archaic vegetal decoration, with a stone cross at the keystone. A continuous capital with vegetal decoration extends to a rectangular molding that runs to the buttresses and along the lateral sections of the portal. Recesses on either side of the arch may have held statues of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

The Puerta de la Umbría: Located on the northern side, this portal might have had a lateral development similar to the Puerta del Perdón, but the large buttresses obscure this. The arch, more pointed and of Arabic character due to its polylobed shape, is decorated with small rosettes. Above it are three beaded archivolts and an outer archivolt with similar decoration to the Puerta del Perdón. A continuous capital with vegetal decoration of clusters and leaves, and jambs with half-columns, are also similar. Above the arch is a small, off-center rose window with diverse tracery, built later to illuminate the now-vanished choir.

The Puerta del Sol: The simplest and probably the oldest of the three portals, this one features a pointed arch that, despite its Gothic appearance, has Romanesque reminiscences. The pointed arch has a continuous undecorated capital and half-columns in the jambs. Above the door, in line with the arch, is a twin window topped with a quatrefoil, which likely once held a beautiful stained glass. The wooden doors are richly studded and bear a pair of heraldic shields at the top. In the late 18th century, a porch was built in front of this portal, which was later removed. This is currently the main entrance to the church.

The Chapels

The Church of San Pedro houses three chapels, two flanking the apse and one, the Coca Chapel, in the southern nave.

The Coca Chapel: This chapel contains the recumbent tomb of Fernando de Coca, Confessor to Queen Isabella I of Castile, a Hispano-Flemish work from the 15th century. It also houses the tombs of his parents and an alabaster altarpiece of the Virgin of Loreto.

The Vera Chapel: Founded by the Vera family in the early 16th century and dedicated to the Holy Christ of the Oration and Our Lady of Guadalupe, this chapel later became the property of the church in 1650. It features Flamboyant Gothic arches in its vaults and currently hosts the images of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Saint Anthony Mary Claret.

The Nazareno Chapel: Originally the Chapel of Saint John the Baptist, it was commissioned by Doña Juana Monzolo Treviño de Loaisa during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs. The chapel is adorned with an Isabeline grille featuring the Catholic Monarchs' coat of arms. Inside, it showcases Flamboyant Gothic arches and a star-shaped vault, characteristic of advanced Gothic style. Since the 19th century, the chapel has been dedicated to Jesus Nazareno and houses images of Saint Blaise, Saint Rita, and Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, along with Saint Gemma Galgani and Our Lady of Fatima.

Devotion and Traditions

The Church of San Pedro plays a significant role in Ciudad Real's Holy Week, declared of National Tourist Interest. Eight brotherhoods start and end their processions here, including the Brotherhood of Silence, the Brotherhood of Jesus Nazareno, the Brotherhood of the Prayer in the Garden of Olives, the Brotherhood of the Encounter, the Brotherhood of Our Father Jesus Fallen, and the Brotherhood of the Forgiveness and the Waters.

Visiting the Church of San Pedro is not just a journey through architectural marvels and historical narratives but also an immersion into the deep-rooted traditions and devotions that have shaped Ciudad Real's cultural and spiritual landscape. This Gothic gem stands as a testament to the city's rich heritage and enduring faith.