Nuestra Señora de las Virtudes Church

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La Puebla de Cazalla-Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Las Virtudes

The Parish Church of Our Lady of Virtues is a clear example of the historical path of La Puebla de Cazalla. The Church dates back to the 16th century, when Juan Téllez de Girón, Duke of Osuna, ordered its construction under her advocacy. Both the fortress and the Castle were part of the estate of the Ducal House of Osuna. Consequently, the Duke decided that the town should be repopulated.

Due to its location, built over the remains of the Castle, on the highest point of the escarpment, it has always been the town’s primary landmark and a main determinant of the urban layout.

The most prominent feature is the central vault divided into four main sections, and between these, the walls of the small semi-circular chapels as buttresses. These walls rise well above the actual height of the chapels. Finally, at a lower level, several aisles and chapels occupy the arms.

The temple has a central Greek-cross plan. The arms at the apse and narthex are slightly broader and longer than the side arms. The square central mass is enclosed by a large vault that accommodates an octagonal space. Four small chapels with a semi-circular plan serve to square the central area, similar to the San Luis de los Franceses Church in Seville.

The main entrance, located at the foot of the central nave, provides access from the Square. Its rectangular design is unpretentious. Above it is a circular pediment and a stained glass window that filters light into the choir framed in grey marble.

Listed as Asset of Cultural Interest in the Official Gazette of the Andalusian Government (BOJA) dated 2006.

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