JAÉN

The Arch of San Lorenzo is located at Calle Almendros Aguilar. It was built at the end of 13th century, beginning of 14th and rebuilt in the 15th century. Probably, the arc was part of an ancient city wall, which was built as a sacristy in the church of San Lorenzo.

 

The chapel is covered with brick vault, in whose center is a plaster pendant and in this is a votive lamp. On the altar there is a niche segmental arch decorated with fine Mudejar plasterwork. At both sides of the entrance there is an inscription in Gothic writing that says: “Esta capilla de Jesús Nazareno es.../...del Hospital de la Madre de Dios”.

 

The second floor is covered with a pointed vault with a plasterwork decorated arch and niches with tiling Moorish. It let to be part of the Church of San Lorenzo in 1825 when the church was demolished because of his abandoned, letting only the arch. Outside the arch, on the wall was executed on June 17, 1811 the mayor Pedro.

 

Juan de Olid is buried in this chapel. Also Maximilian of Austria was baptized in this chapel in 1555. The tradition says that Fernando IV had a wake here. The small chapel served as head of the Hospital of the Mother of God, founded in a nearby house in 1491 by Don Luis de Torres. It was also the first chapel of the Seminario Conciliar de Jaén, founded in 1620.

 

The church was a single nave and was situated at what is now the numbers 2 and 4 San Lorenzo Street. It was pointed out for its artistic treasures, including an altarpiece of Souls, a panel painting of Saint Dominic and San Bartolomé de la Cuesta and the legendary painting of Cristo de las Injurias, all currently deposited in the nearby church of La Merced.

 

October 11, 1877, The Arch of San Lorenzo was declared a National Monument and was saved from demolition.

 

Between 1936 and 1982 the arch of San Lorenzo was closed for its abandoned. In 1969 the Dirección General de Bellas Artes requested the restoration. Since 1981, the arch is the headquarters of 'Asociación de San Antón', who is responsible for preserving the building.

 

It has been discovered remains of walls in the basement of the Palace of the captain Quesada, located in the Plaza de la Merced and the convent of the Jesuits, that could have formed part of the arch.