The Cathedral of Triana

Of all the churches that Triana possesses, without a doubt, the best of all is Santa Ana. Its bell tower projects over the other buildings, creating a symbol of this Sevillian personality filled neighbourhood.

The first Christian church in Seville

It’s the biggest church in the neighbourhood, called the ‘Cathedral of Triana’ by the Trianeros -the people who live in the neighbourhood of Triana-.  And for them this church is cause for great devotion and pride, and with good reason, for it was the first Christian church built in the city of Seville.

When the Christian forces overthrew the Almohad city in 1248, they seized the mosques and converted them into churches under the new religion, but they didn’t erect their own churches until 1266, the year Santa Ana Church was built. They certainly wanted to leave the mark of their supremacy, as they built one of the most majestic churches in Seville, with its great mudejar interior in exposed brick. Its other mudejar element is the stone entrance, a material reserved only for the most sacred parts of the church. 

Built under the reign of Alfonso X, son of the conqueror, he devoted it to Saint Anne because of the saint’s intervention in curing an illness he had in his eyes. The remains of the medieval mudejar church can be seen in the lateral entrance, as much of it was renovated in the 18^th century due to an earthquake that hit Seville in 1755.

The church of ceramics

What doesn’t go unnoticed, relating to the outside of the church is its bell tower decorated with ceramics, the traditional craft of this pottery neighbourhood. In this way the inhabitants of Triana felt identify with their main church. 

Its interior is an authentic museum for this craft, since it has pieces of great historical value, such as the first work by Nicoluso Pisano in Spain, who was the person who introduced painted ceramics, which dates from 1503, and is preserved almost intact.

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The Santa Ana Square

Another element that is not less important to the neighbourhood is the Santa Ana square, which extends in front of the church as one of the Trianeros’s favourite meeting places, where they once gathered to contemplate the entrance and exit of the brotherhoods during Holy Week, before the construction of the Bridge of Triana.

Likewise, the church is surrounded by different bars, where it’s normal for the Trianeros to meet to eat tapas in good company in the shade of the Trianero church. 

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If you want to know more about Santa Ana Church, have a look at this tour around Triana, in which you’ll definitely fall in love with the neigbourhood:

Images source: 69 – 74 (section 2)