Once it was the first great mosque of Seville. Today it is the second biggest Christian church in the city and the expression of Sevillian baroque.

Before the construction of the Aljama Almohad mosque, which was later transformed into the Cathedral, the biggest mosque of the city was the current Salvador Church.

From mosque to Christian church

The mosque was known as the Aljama mosque of Ibn Adabbas, it was built in the year 830 on Visigoth and Roman remains. It’s considered to be one of the oldest structures dating from the Muslim period in Spain. As was the custom, with the Christian conquest the Islamic temples were devoted to the new religion, and this church, built on the remains of the former mosque, is now the second largest church in Seville.

Nonetheless, there is not much left of the medieval church built after the conquest. With the passing of time, it deteriorated little by little, until the 17^th century when it was decided to knock it down and build a new church according to the style of the time, baroque. 

Baroque church…. and Islamic remains

Designed by one of the best baroque architects of the time, Leonardo de Figueroa, Salvador Church was one of the greatest examples of Sevillian Borroque, standing out not only for its exterior but also its interior, which holds a large quantity of religious artwork like altarpieces, chapels and sacristies, giving the church an unparalleled artistic value.

However, some secrets hide inside as well. These secrets are the foundations of the former mosque, discovered some years ago during the excavations carried out by the church, and also the Courtyard of Ablutions, which you can access by Cordoba Street.

The Square

Actually, the Salvador Church is a true icon of the city, most of all for the citizens, due to the large square in which it’s located. It’s one of the favourite places for Sevillians to have a beer in the sun, socialising while enjoying the lovely views.

Images source: 75 – 82 (section 2).