San Pablo is a church and former convent in Córdoba. The present church and defunct convent were built on a space that always harbored large buildings for its location at the door of the city along one of the main access roads. A Roman Circus predated a Muslim palace before Almohad Christians built a Dominican convent.
The church has Baroque features made in marble dating to 1708. The main facade features the Mannerist style of the 16th century. The interior consists of three naves divided by pillars covered with coffered Mudéjar ornamentation. There are three apses, circular on the inside and rectangular on the outside, with a quarter-sphere dome, and central pentagonal vault. The tower is located at the foot of the church and is of stone, upon which stands the wooden bell tower.
In the nave of the Gospel, there is a pointed flaring arch, with caliphal capitals, leading into San Pablo Street. In the nave of the Epistle, there is an old door of Gothic-Mudejar style. Among the preserved chapels is the Chapel of the Madonna del Rosario, built in the 15th century and renovated in 1758, which is an example of Baroque Cordoba. Remains of the cloister of the convent can be seen embedded in the passage that leads to the Ministry of Culture on Capitulares Street. The chapter house, designed by Hernán Ruiz II, was possibly unfinished for lack of funds. Restoration and refurbishment of the building occurred in 2008 as part of an earmark for the cultural area of the city. One of the most important sculptures of Easter Cordoba, Our Lady of Sorrows, is by Juan de Mesa and dates to 1627.
In the Jardines de Orive are the grounds of the former convent garden. The site's gardens are mentioned as early as 1409.
References:The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere is one of the oldest churches of Rome. The basic floor plan and wall structure of the church date back to the 340s, and much of the structure to 1140-43. The first sanctuary was built in 221 and 227 by Pope Callixtus I and later completed by Pope Julius I.
The inscription on the episcopal throne states that this is the first church in Rome dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus, although some claim that privilege belongs to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. A Christian house-church was founded here about 220 by Pope Saint Callixtus I (217-222) on the site of the Taberna meritoria, a refuge for retired soldiers. The area was made available for Christian use by Emperor Alexander Severus when he settled a dispute between the Christians and tavern-keepers.
The church underwent two restorations in the fifth and eighth centuries and in 1140-43 it was re-erected on its old foundations under Pope Innocent II.