12. History of the building
Video guide
12. History of the building
The Collegiate Church of Santa María in Calatayud is a historical and cultural monument of great relevance in Spain, with a rich history dating back to the 12th century. Its architectural and artistic evolution reflects the confluence of diverse cultural influences and styles throughout the centuries.
History and origins
The history of the Collegiate Church of Santa María begins in the year 1120, when the Aragonese monarch Alfonso I the Battler conquered the city of Calatayud. According to tradition, the city’s main mosque was purified and consecrated as a church under the title of Santa María. This has been corroborated by the discovery of the remains of a large Islamic building under the apse of the present-day collegiate church, which suggests that the Christian church was built on the foundations of an earlier Islamic structure.
Bilbilitan expert Agustín San Miguel Mateo had already proposed that the floor plan of the temple and part of the cloister were built on the remains of an ancient Islamic building from the Caliphate period, a hypothesis that has been confirmed by archaeological finds.
Architectural evolution
In 1144-1145, the church was mentioned in a papal bull of Pope Lucius II as Santa María de la Mediavilla (Middle Town). In November 1249, a new Romanesque church was consecrated on the same site, with three stone apses and a brick nave. However, this building was damaged during the War of the Two Peters (1356-1369), which led to its reconstruction at the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th centuries. This reconstruction, possibly sponsored by Pope Luna and directed by his master builder, Mahoma Ramí, followed Mudejar construction principles and decorative styles.
The cloister and the lower parts of the apse and the tower, which were recognised as World Heritage by UNESCO in 2001, date from this period.
Renovations and extensions
At the beginning of the 16th century, an impressive alabaster doorway was built under the episcopate of Gabriel de Ortí and the patronage of the archdeacon Pedro de Villalón. This work, which began in 1525 and ended in 1528, involved the participation of artists such as Esteban de Obray and Juan de Talavera, and possibly also Gabriel Yolí.
Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the interior of the collegiate church was transformed with the construction of the portals of the different chapels, the choir at the centre of the central nave and the sacristy. During the 19th and 20th centuries, some windows were closed or converted into oculi, and the interior was painted in dark colours.
Restoration and recognition
In the 21st century, the Collegiate Church of Santa María has been restored, allowing light to once again play a leading role in the church, in an exaltation of faith. In 1884, it was declared a National Monument, and in 2001, its tower, apse and cloister were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as representing Aragonese Mudejar.
