San Dionisio Church, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain

The Church of San Dionisio 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.

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 church 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.

References:

Wikipedia

Religious sites in Spain

User Reviews

Lidia AP (2 years ago)
One of all our Churches. Which one is prettier. And more this year that their images cannot go out on the streets, due to the Pandemic

Ignacio Rivas Zaballos (4 years ago)
Preciosa iglesia de Jerez dedicada al patrón de la ciudad. La Torre de la Atalaya, aunque esta adosada a la iglesia, es una torre civil de vigilancia (si bien al unirse también le sirve de campanario). El retablo principal es muy bonito. Muy buena iniciativa la de adaptar la cripta de la iglesia como un columbario.

christian faloppa (4 years ago)
Beautiful basic church

Pete Mitchel (4 years ago)
If you visiting Andalucia, find a time to visit this parish.

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The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

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Since 1930, the castle has housed the collections of the Ariège départemental museum. Sections on prehistory, Gallo-Roman and mediaeval archaeology tell the history of Ariège from ancient times. Currently, the museum is rearranging exhibits to concentrate on the history of the castle site so as to recreate the life of Foix at the time of the Counts.

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