Santiago el Mayor Church

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Utrera. Portada de la Iglesia de Santiago el Mayor

Utrera. Fachada de la Iglesia de Santiago el Mayor

Utrera. Exterior de una capilla de la Iglesia de Santiago el Mayor

Santiago is profoundly linked to Utrera’s origin as a city. The original church that stood opposite the Castle was the heart of present-day Utrera. According to the chronicles, the primitive church of Santiago was looted in the second half of the 14th century by Mohamed V of Granada. After years of neglect, the reconstruction work began and created this Gothic-Baroque façade favoured by the Catholic Monarchs in western Andalusia.

The building has a rectangular hall plan with three naves of equal height that elevates the ceiling of the temple to convey God’s omnipotence to the faithful. This is further emphasised by a far-reaching, diffuse light that floods the whole church.

Eight clustered pillars form a spectacular “palm grove”. Those closest to the altar have a greater diameter. It could be argued that the initial design envisaged a large Gothic dome, which was never built. This “palm grove” is covered by a “starry sky”, a pictorial depiction frequently used in this type of ribbed vaults.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Santiago Parish Church adopted the baroque aesthetics, in particular in the chapels to Saint Joseph and Saint Anthony. The variety of materials used and the layout of the space are in line with the Andalusian Baroque style. The bell tower houses the oldest bell in Utrera, commonly known as San Fernando, from 1483 paid by the town council.

Opening times

Summer:
Tuesday - Saturday: 19:00 - 22:00
Sunday: 10:00 - 12:00 and 19:00 - 22:00
Winter:
Tuesday - Saturday: 18:00 - 21:00
Sunday: 10:00 - 13:00 and 18:00 - 21:00

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