Church of San Andrés, Madrid, Spain

The Church de San Andrés is located on the site of a former church from the times of Moorish occupation. The former church had been frequented as a parish church by the patron saint of Madrid, San Isidro Labrador, and his wife Santa María de la Cabeza, who lived nearby.

The adjacent chapel of San Isidro was built at the site of the saint's house. Its construction began in 1657, after the saint was canonized in 1622. Further reconstructions were performed in 1663 and 1669, and later in 1783 and 1789. The initial construction in Baroque style was fashioned by José de Villarreal, and later Pedro de la Torre and Juan de Lobera. Much of the internal decoration, including paintings, were destroyed during the Spanish Civil War.

References:

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Religious sites in Spain

User Reviews

Bartłomiej Ufnal (2 years ago)
Beautiful Catholic temple with majestic dome with sculptures. A lot of cosy seats but inside is little cold.

Alina Gutovica (2 years ago)
Looks good at night

Martin Tortora (4 years ago)
is in the almedro street n 10 its facade is built of slate if you look we can see roks oxidated

Martin jaras (4 years ago)
The Church of San Andres was built in the seventeenth century, in a fully baroque style, to house the relics of San's body Isidro. In the Church of San Andrés we can identify some rocks already known: 9 the columns and ashlars of granite, 9 religious images carved in limestone, 9 the pavement around the Church formed by basalt, granite and limestone.

Krisztián Király (4 years ago)
good location, very close to the most important things. the rooms are not very big, but the size is just enough for you if you are a tourist.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Maciek Lulko

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Wroclaw Town Hall

The Old Town Hall of Wrocław is one of the main landmarks of the city. The Old Town Hall's long history reflects developments that have taken place in the city since its initial construction. The town hall serves the city of Wroclaw and is used for civic and cultural events such as concerts held in its Great Hall. In addition, it houses a museum and a basement restaurant.

The town hall was developed over a period of about 250 years, from the end of 13th century to the middle of 16th century. The structure and floor plan changed over this extended period in response to the changing needs of the city. The exact date of the initial construction is not known. However, between 1299 and 1301 a single-storey structure with cellars and a tower called the consistory was built. The oldest parts of the current building, the Burghers’ Hall and the lower floors of the tower, may date to this time. In these early days the primary purpose of the building was trade rather than civic administration activities.

Between 1328 and 1333 an upper storey was added to include the Council room and the Aldermen’s room. Expansion continued during the 14th century with the addition of extra rooms, most notably the Court room. The building became a key location for the city’s commercial and administrative functions.

The 15th and 16th centuries were times of prosperity for Wroclaw as was reflected in the rapid development of the building during that period. The construction program gathered momentum, particularly from 1470 to 1510, when several rooms were added. The Burghers’ Hall was re-vaulted to take on its current shape, and the upper story began to take shape with the development of the Great Hall and the addition of the Treasury and Little Treasury.

Further innovations during the 16th century included the addition of the city’s Coat of arms (1536), and the rebuilding of the upper part of the tower (1558–59). This was the final stage of the main building program. By 1560, the major features of today’s Stray Rates were established.

The second half of the 17th century was a period of decline for the city, and this decline was reflected in the Stray Rates. Perhaps by way of compensation, efforts were made to enrich the interior decorations of the hall. In 1741, Wroclaw became a part of Prussia, and the power of the City diminished. Much of the Stray Rates was allocated to administering justice.

During the 19th century there were two major changes. The courts moved to a separate building, and the Rates became the site of the city council and supporting functions. There was also a major program of renovation because the building had been neglected and was covered with creeping vines. The town hall now has several en-Gothic features including some sculptural decoration from this period.

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