Subbetica

St Matthew's Parish

St Matthew's Parish

Iglesia gótico-mudéjar y renacentista con retablo manierista y capilla barroca, joya del barroco cordobés, ideal para los amantes del arte y la historia.

Regarded as the cathedral of the Subbética region, this church is built in the Gothic-Mudejar and Renaissance styles. This was the site of the town’s former synagogue and later mosque, until it was converted for Christian worship in 1240. Construction of the present church began in 1498 at the chancel end, alongside the doorways of the sacristy and the exterior of Nuestra Señora de la Umbría. The rest of the building is Renaissance in style, featuring three naves with large pillars supporting Mudejar-inspired pointed arches, as well as a main façade with clear classical influences. Inside, the Mannerist high altarpiece stands out; its architectural elements were crafted by Jerónimo Hernández and its sculptures by Juan Bautista Vázquez the Elder. Also of note is the magnificent Chapel of the Tabernacle, built between 1740 and 1772 to a design by the local architect Leonardo Antonio de Castro and considered one of the jewels of the Cordoban Baroque, as well as one of the most important sculptural works of the Andalusian Baroque.