San Dionisio, Jerez de la Frontera
San Dionisio is a church in Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia, southern Spain. It was built in the late 15th century in Gothic-Mudéjar style, although its interior was later renovated in Baroque style (18th century) by architects Diego Antonio Díaz and Pedro de Silva.
Description
The parish was established by Alfonso X the Wise in the name of Saint Denis as the city was returned to Christian rule on Saint Denis's Day in 1264.
The church has a basilica plan, divided into three naves by tall and simple pillars adorned with Almohad decorations. The arcades (aside from those near the high altar) are ogival. The naves end with apses with Baroque altars, including the high altar which dates to the pre-Baroque renovation.
The side chapels are in Baroque style. The chapel of the Christ of the Water includes an image of Jesus from the 15th century. The tower known as Torre de la Atalaya was also built in the fifteenth century. Although this is attached to the shurch it was a civilian construction intended to serve as a watchtower for both fires and attack and to hold the town's clock. The tower has been separately listed from the church as being of cultural interest. The tower was first mentioned in 1447 and the clock was installed in 1454 and the tower was first used as a watchtower in 1484.[1]
The churches most recent restoration cost a million euros.
References
- ↑ Guerrero, J (2009). "Construction of the Jerez Watchtower" [Proceedings of the Sixth National Congress of History of Construction, Valencia, 21-24 October 2009, eds. S. Huerta, R. Marin, R. Soler, A. Zaragoza. Madrid: Instituto Juan de Herrera, 2009].