Please step in. Jerez de los CaballerosThe municipality of Badajoz, Extremadura, is to do so in a town full of historical and cultural charms that you can discover and enjoy walking through its streets, but above all you can raise your head and admire a series of churches with baroque towers. A structure that has managed to garner the admiration of appreciative travelers and has made Jerez de los Caballeros a city known as the “City of the Four Towers”. With a deep historical heritage marked by the passage of the Knights Templar and later the Knights of Santiago, it is this unique series of cities that makes it the most distinctive and famous center. baroque tower churchits value is unique.
The town boasts some of the most beautiful bell towers in the region, an extraordinary monumental heritage that makes it a reference both within and outside of Extremadura. The town is located on a complex topography and consists of two hills that formed the initial focal point. The layout of the city is picturesque, with narrow and steep streets. Monumental landmarks such as churches, monasteries and palaces are integrated into this declared complex. artistic monumental ensemble A medieval fence built of stone and reinforced with towers surrounds the historic center, but outside the walls was the Church of Santa Catalina.
To explore and admire the structure, including its impressive tower, you can start by: Saint Mary of the Incarnationthe oldest parish church in the city. It stands on a hill next to a castle or fortress. It seems to be empty Visigothic originThe columns inside contain an inscription stating that it was dedicated to Saint Mary in 556. Its quadrangular tower differs from the other three in that it is a solid mass of granite with a very solid base, forming a solid complex of great solidity and dignity.
Moving to the other main hill of the town, you will find the Church of the Apostles st bartholomewin this case dedicated to the city’s patron saint. The history of the current factory dates back to the 16th century. Remnants of Gothic style Previous. Its most notable feature is its tower, which was rebuilt in 1759 from an earlier tower destroyed in the 1755 earthquake. This elongated tower is square, Baroque in style, made of brickwork, baked clay, plasterwork and attractive glazed earthenware, giving it a special beauty and polychromatic character. Its shape, Girardin, It reminds us of the mythical and almost incomparable Giralda tower of the city of Seville.
church of saint michael the archangel The castle is built in a space between two hills, and construction began at the end of the 14th century, after the Knights of Santiago were established in the city. The imposing exterior is as luxurious as a university church. The Baroque tower is of solid brick construction, decorated with baked clay and has a granite stone base. Designed by Don Basileo Fernández Atalaya, its construction was completed in 1760. This tower exceeds the height of the world. 60 meters Therefore, like the other three towers, it can be easily seen from different parts of the town.
lisbon earthquake
church of saint katherine This temple dates back to the 16th century and is later than the other three as it is the result of the expansion of a medieval temple. As mentioned above, this outside the wallin the lower neighborhood called “de poniente”. This temple was damaged by the Lisbon earthquake in 1755 (the Portuguese city is less than 300 kilometers away). Its baroque tower was built in 1762 and is over 60 meters high. Its construction was largely financed by donations and alms from nearby residents. Giraldillo Along with the title image of the parish.
Although the church was enlarged and aristocratic from the 16th century onwards, most of the modern towers share an important feature: their style. gorgeous baroque style. In fact, it was the famous Lisbon earthquake that destroyed the previous tower and forced the rebuilding or completion of the current one. At this time, Seville Baroque influence was strong, with exposed brick, ceramics, and some bell bodies. The new towers, especially those of San Bartolomé and San Miguel, were modeled on the Giralda, Seville’s tallest tower.
Churches and towers aside, you can’t talk about Jerez de los Caballeros without mentioning it. Fortress of the Knights Templarof Arab origin, but was rebuilt by the Knights Templar in the 13th century. This castle, which served as the basis for military strategy, had numerous reinforcement towers. Among them, the amazing Bloody Tower (or Homage Tower) stands out. According to oral tradition, it is so called because the last Templar who opposed the dissolution of the order after the Royal Decree of 1312 was beheaded there. In short, it is a collection of architectural elements of high historical and cultural value, which constitute evidence of the rich heritage of Extremadura, making it a real attraction to visit and admire this beautiful and surprising city of Badajoz.
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