Church of Santiago, Toledo

Church of Saint James
Iglesia de Santiago el Mayor
West façade in 2025
39°51′43″N4°01′32″W / 39.8620°N 4.0255°W / 39.8620; -4.0255
Location	Toledo
Address	4, Plaza de Santiago del Arrabal
Country	Spain
Denomination	Catholic
History
Dedication	James the Great
Architecture
Style	Mudéjar
Years built	13th Century
Administration
Metropolis	Toledo
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Criteria	Cultural: (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
Designated	1986 (3rd session)
Part of	Historic City of Toledo
Reference no.	379
Spanish Cultural Heritage
Type	Non-movable
Criteria	Monument
Reference no.	RI-51-0000938

The Church of St James the Great, known in Spanish as Iglesia de Santiago el Mayor or de Santiago del Arrabal, is a 13th-century Roman Catholic church in Toledo, Spain.

History

Construction of the church was commissioned by Sancho II and began between 1245 and 1247. It was built on the site of previous buildings, including a Visigothic structure and a later mosque whose use is documented from 1125. Construction was paused in 1248, after Sancho's death, but resumed again under the patronage of the Diosdado family, members of the Order of Santiago. The church was heavily restored between 1958 and 1973 and much of its present appearance is due to this restoration. ^[1]

The church was constructed in Mudéjar style with influences from the Romanesque style of Castile. The freestanding bell-tower incorporated the remains of the former mosque's minaret. ^[1]

References

1. Franco, Ángela. "Church of Santiago del Arrabal". Discover Islamic Art - Museum With No Frontiers. Retrieved 2024-04-11.