Church of Santa María la Mayor (Talavera de la Reina)

The Church of Santa María la Mayor (Spanish: Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor) is a Catholic church in Talavera de la Reina. It is known as colegiata de Santa María, as it was a collegiate church from 1211 to 1851.

Church of Santa María la Mayor
Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor
Map
General information
Architectural styleGothicMudéjar
ClassificationBien de Interés Cultural
AddressPlaza del Pan [es]
Town or cityTalavera de la Reina
CountrySpain
Coordinates39°57′29″N 4°49′56″W / 39.958064°N 4.832109°W / 39.958064; -4.832109

History and description

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The earlier written mention to the church dates back at least to 1194.[1] The site was the place were the old mosque was built.[2] The church was promoted to the status of collegiate church in 1211 by the Archbishop of Toledo Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada.[3]

It displays striking similarities with the Monastery of Guadalupe, both sharing the same GothicMudéjar style.[4]

The attached cloister was built by 1469.[5] A number of chapels, either in gothic or Renaissance style, were built in the 15th and 16th centuries.[6] The works in the façade ended in 1783.[7] It endured a sacking during the French invasion in the context of the Peninsular War.[1]

The temple lost the status of collegiate church in 1851.[8]

Conservation

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It was declared monumento histórico-artístico (precursor to the status of Bien de Interés Cultural) in 1931.[9]

References

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Citations
  1. ^ a b Nicolau Castro 1971, p. 101.
  2. ^ Ballesteros Gallardo 2003, p. 277.
  3. ^ Ballesteros Gallardo 2003, p. 278.
  4. ^ Nicolau Castro 1971, pp. 87–96.
  5. ^ Nicolau Castro 1971, p. 98.
  6. ^ Nicolau Castro 1971, pp. 98–100.
  7. ^ Nicolau Castro 1971, p. 102.
  8. ^ Capdepón Verdú 2017, pp. 181–182.
  9. ^ "La 'Guía de la Colegiata' muestra las obras de arte que atesora Santa María la Mayor de Talavera". La Voz del Tajo. 21 February 2019.
Bibliography