The Church of San Antón is a Catholic church located in the

Old Town In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins. In some cases, newer developments on t ...

neighbourhood of

Bilbao Bilbao is a city in northern Spain, the largest city in the Provinces of Spain, province of Biscay and in the Basque Country (greater region), Basque Country as a whole. It is also the largest city proper in northern Spain. Bilbao is the List o ...

, Spain. It is dedicated to

Anthony the Great Anthony the Great (; ; ; ; – 17 January 356) was a Christian monk from Egypt, revered since his death as a saint. He is distinguished from other saints named Anthony, such as , by various epithets: , , , , , and . For his importance among t ...

, known as San Antón in Spanish. It is featured, along with the San Antón Bridge, in the city's

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

. The

estuary of Bilbao The Estuary of Bilbao ( Spanish: ''Ría de Bilbao'' / Basque: ''Bilboko Itsasadarra'') lies at the common mouth of the rivers Nervion, Ibaizabal and Cadagua, which drain most of Biscay and part of Alava in the Basque Country, Spain. In this i ...

flows next to it.

Introduction

Saint Anthony's church is an example of the

Gothic style Gothic architecture is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It evolved from Romanesque ar ...

of church architecture, popular in the 15th and 16th centuries. Despite reconstruction it remains possible to observe some Gothic features as the

rib vault A rib vault or ribbed vault is an architectural feature for covering a wide space, such as a church nave, composed of a framework of crossed or diagonal arched ribs. Variations were used in Roman architecture, Byzantine architecture, Islamic a ...

s and the pointed arches.

History

The church was built at the end of the 15th century on a plot where there had been a warehouse for three hundred years. It is considered an asset of cultural interest since 17 July 1984, in the category "National Historic-Artistic Monument". Villaamil iglesia san anton bilbao

In 1300 Diego López de Haro gave the municipal charter. The river and the plot were incorporated to the new village called

. Some claim that in 1334

Alfonso XI of Castile Alfonso XI (11 August 131126 March 1350), called the Avenger (''el Justiciero''), was King of Castile and León. He was the son of Ferdinand IV of Castile and his wife Constance of Portugal. Upon his father's death in 1312, several disputes ...

ordered to build a fortress and wall that were used like a dike against the flood. A wall was discovered in 2002 by an

archaeological excavation In archaeology, excavation is the exposure, processing and recording of archaeological remains. An excavation site or "dig" is the area being studied. These locations range from one to several areas at a time during a project and can be condu ...

but the claim is still inconclusive. Some time later this two buildings were replaced by one church dedicated to

Saint Anthony the Great Anthony the Great (; ; ; ; – 17 January 356) was a Christian monk from Egypt, revered since his death as a saint. He is distinguished from Saint Anthony (disambiguation), other saints named Anthony, such as , by various epithets: , , , , , a ...

. The church was consecrated in 1433, at that point the church had only the single nave with a rectangular floor and a vaulted roof. Now. the old foundations of that church can be seen near the old wall of

In 1478, a new construction project began to enlarge the church, as the

congregation Congregation may refer to: Religion *Church (congregation), a religious organization that meets in a particular location *Congregation (Roman Curia), an administrative body of the Catholic Church *Religious congregation, a type of religious instit ...

was growing. This enlargement, in Gothic style, was finished in the first part of the 16th century. Throughout history this church has suffered damage and was closed twice. The main source of damage was flooding from the

Nervión Nervión (; ) is a river that runs through the town of Bilbao, Spain into the Cantabrian Sea (Bay of Biscay). Its lowermost course, downstream of its confluence with the Ibaizabal River, is known as the Estuary of Bilbao. Geography The riv ...

river. The last flood was in 1983 and resulted in furniture, drag doors and railings inside the church being destroyed. The church has also suffered damage through bombing and fire during war, especially during the Carlist war. During this war, the church was forced to close as it was used for military logistics. The church was forced to close for a second time in 1881, owing to the tumbledown state of the church. Restoration work undertaken by Sabino Goikoetxea changed much of the original design of the church.

Gothic art in Biscay

Gothic art Gothic art was a style of medieval art that developed in Northern France out of Romanesque art in the 12th century, led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, and much of Northern Europe, Norther ...

was created in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

during the 13th century, but it wasn't until the 14th century when it was introduced in

Biscay Biscay ( ; ; ), is a province of the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Autonomous Community, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the Bay of Biscay, eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilb ...

, due to the region's poverty. In the 14th century the population and the economy grew, carrying Gothic art and architecture into Biscay. Throughout Spain, Gothic architecture became common half century later than in France. As the French influence entered by

Navarre Navarre ( ; ; ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre, is a landlocked foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Autonomous Community, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and New Aquitaine in France. ...

, it avoided the Basque Country, meaning that the Gothic style was common in Biscay even later than much of Spain. Even then, there are few large Gothic projects in the region, with Santiago's cathedral in

or Andra Mari of

Lekeitio Lekeitio (; ) is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the Spanish Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northeast from Bilbao. The municipality has 7,307 inhabitants (2019) and is one of the most important fishing po ...

as notable exceptions. WindowSanAnton

Most of the buildings in the Gothic style were begun in the 14th century, but only Santiago's cathedral was ended then. The rest were consecrated between the 15th and 16th centuries. Buildings in 'Biscay Gothic' lost the spirit of the

International Gothic International Gothic is a period of Gothic art that began in Burgundy, France, and northern Italy in the late 14th and early 15th century. It then spread very widely across Western Europe, hence the name for the period, which was introduced by the ...

: they were not monumental buildings with large windows creating striking visual displays, but smaller buildings, becoming a characteristic of the local Gothic style. Andra Mari of

Guernica Guernica (, ), officially Gernika () in Basque, is a town in the province of Biscay, in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, Spain. The town of Guernica is one part (along with neighbouring Lumo) of the municipality of Gernika-Lumo ...

Getxo Getxo () (Spanish: ''Guecho'') is a town located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country, in Spain. It is part of Greater Bilbao, and has 75,430 inhabitants (2023). Getxo ...

, Orduña, Gueñes,

Erandio Erandio is a town and Municipalities of Spain, municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country, northern Spain. History In 1415, during the War of the Bands, the ...

Galdakao Galdakao is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country. It is located in the Greater Bilbao, in the valley of the Ibaizabal river, near the Ganguren mountain range. It is surrounded by some summits such a ...

Portugalete Portugalete is a town lying to the west of Bilbao in the province of Biscay in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, northern Spain. The town has 45,294 inhabitants as of 2021 and is part of Bilbao's metropolitan area. It is located ...

and

, Santa Eufemia of

Bermeo Bermeo is a town and municipality in the ''comarca'' of Busturialdea. It is in the province of Biscay, which is part of the autonomous region of the Basque Country in northern Spain. With a population of 16,765, it is the most important fishing ...

, Santiago's Cathedral,

Basilica of Begoña The Basilica of Begoña (or Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Begoña in Spanish) is a basilica in Bilbao, in Spain, dedicated to the patron saint of Biscay, the Virgin Begoña. The current parish priest is Jesús Francisco de Garitaonandia. Hist ...

, San Vicente and San Anton of Bilbao and San Severino of Balmaseda have to be named as important buildings of the Gothic of Biscay.

Chapels of San Antón

The Church of San Antón contains three chapels:

Chapel of Provost

This is the first and widest

chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...

s that the church. Built in 1530 this chapel is an example of the late Gothic style which can be seen in other nearby construction like

Begoña Begoña is a historical municipality of Biscay (Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Country, Spain) and is a neighbourhood and urban district of Bilbao. ''Begoña'', or more puristically but also more rarely spelled ''Begoina'', means ' ...

, La encarnación, San Vicente of Abando and San Pedro of Deusto. There is a large ogival arch at the entrance of the chapel. This arch is closed by a grille that was forged in

. At the top of the entrance the

of the chapel's founders (the Lezama-Leguizamón family) are displayed. Historically, was a passageway that linked this chapel and Lezama-Leguizamón family's

tower house A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation. Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountainous or limited access areas, to command and defend strategic points ...

. There is a stained glass window located in the front wall. The

held two

altarpiece An altarpiece is a painting or sculpture, including relief, of religious subject matter made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting or sculpture, ...

s. One of the

s is dedicated to Santa Ana and the other is dedicated to Virgen de la Consolación. At present the chapel contains an

altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...

that contains a

wood Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...

carved

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

of Inmaculada and some

painting Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...

s. There is also a

silver Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...

lamp with the following inscription carved on it: "Esta lámpara dieron a su capilla de Santa Ana, Doña María de Leguizamón y Don Domingo de Isasi-Leguizamón. 1621". Capilla SA

Chapel of Piety

The Chapel of Piety is smaller than the Chapel of Provost but bigger than the Chapel of San Roque. It possesses similar attributes of those present in the Chapel of Provost, having a Gothic structure in the entrance

arch An arch is a curved vertical structure spanning an open space underneath it. Arches may support the load above them, or they may perform a purely decorative role. As a decorative element, the arch dates back to the 4th millennium BC, but stru ...

on the

ceiling A ceiling is an overhead interior roof that covers the upper limits of a room. It is not generally considered a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the roof structure or the floor of a story above. Ceilings can ...

s and stained glass windows. The

grille Grill or grille may refer to: Food * Barbecue grill, a device or surface used for cooking food, usually fuelled by gas or charcoal, or the part of a cooker that performs this function * Flattop grill, a cooking device often used in restaurants, ...

closing this

is older than the grille closing the Chapel of Provost. The top part of this grille includes the

of the Recalde family along with details of the Passion. The intermediate

frieze In classical architecture, the frieze is the wide central section of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic order, Ionic or Corinthian order, Corinthian orders, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Patera (architecture), Paterae are also ...

contains the following inscription written in

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

: "O Mater Dei, memento mei Iesu". It could be translated as "Oh mother of god, remember us before Jesus". In 1919 the Chapel of Provost and the Chapel of Piety were united with a Gothic arch to enlarge the

communion rail The altar rail (also known as a communion rail or chancel rail) is a low barrier, sometimes ornate and usually made of stone, wood or metal in some combination, delimiting the chancel or the sanctuary and altar in a church, from the nave and ot ...

Chapel of San Roque

This is the smallest

out of the three that the church of San Anton possess. This chapel is composed by a

and a small blinded Gothic arch in the right wall. This was the original entrance to the church. When the new main front was built the Ibiceta family, which had their family sepulchre in the chapel, decided to transform it to an artistic

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...

with pious sculptures and decorative elements. The

contains a round-headed arch sustained by Corinthians columns. The chapel contains a sculpture of San Roque above the sepulchre and the sculptures of

Saint Lucy Lucia of Syracuse ( – 304 AD), also called Saint Lucia () and better known as Saint Lucy, was a Roman people, Roman Christian martyr who died during the Diocletianic Persecution. She is venerated as a saint in Catholic Church, Catholic, Angl ...

and

Saint Sebastian Sebastian (; ) was an early Christianity, Christian saint and martyr. According to traditional belief, he was killed during the Diocletianic Persecution of Christians. He was initially tied to a post or tree and shot with arrows, though this d ...

flanking it.

Façade of Renaissance

The church contains a

façade A façade or facade (; ) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a loanword from the French language, French (), which means "frontage" or "face". In architecture, the façade of a building is often the most important asp ...

in the 16th-century

Renaissance style Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of Ancient Greece, ancient Greek and ...

, not of Gothic style of the rest of the building. This is owing to the repeated reconstructions to the church, with each reconstruction contributing new features characteristic of that epoch. The earliest identifiable style is neither Renaissance nor Gothic - the entry arches are round arches and are typical of the

Romanesque style Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe that was predominant in the 11th and 12th centuries. The style eventually developed into the Gothic style with the shape of the arches providing a simple distinction: the Ro ...

; and at the door consists of another type of arch used at the end of the 15th century. The most visible Gothic element are the rib vaults throughout the ceiling of the

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

. The Renaissance façade was built in the year 1548 to generous proportions and with rich decoration characteristic of the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

. Around the arches there are small sculptures of low

relief Relief is a sculpture, sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''wikt:relief, relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give ...

, with the form of heads, symbol of the

anthropocentrism Anthropocentrism ( ) is the belief that human beings are the central or most important entity on the planet. The term can be used interchangeably with humanocentrism, and some refer to the concept as human supremacy or human exceptionalism. From a ...

that dominated the

. The great majority of the heads contain wings of angels behind them; and middle these, in the central keystone, there is a larger sculpture in the form of a shield with the year 1548 recorded in it, as a signature of the builder. On either side of the door there are Corinthian columns, typical of the

style. These are smaller in comparison with other buildings, but they contain all the essence of the syle: a Corinthian capital with its rectangular annulet and abacus and its acanthus' leaves, some coiled forming "caulículos". The shaft is in a grooved style and at the end of the shaft and the foot there are sculptural drawings of plants and human representations. The façade also contains two niches, one to each side of the door, which until 1892 were empty. In reconstruction in that year, the sculptures of

Saint Peter Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah; 1 BC – AD 64/68), also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, or Cephas, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the Jewish Christian#Jerusalem ekklēsia, e ...

and

Saint Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...

were erected. The niches contain scallops, which are the space of the niche itself, with representations that venerate what is inside the niche. In this case we also find in the scallop two little angels holding a medallion with the head of another human being. All these elements (niches, angels, scallops, medallions, and Corinthian columns) are representative elements of the

style of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Belfry Tower

In 1774 the construction of the present Belfry Tower was begun by Gabriel de Capelastegui, replacing an earlier structure. The tower has a quadrangular body that rises near the central roof. Above it is the

belfry The belfry /ˈbɛlfri/ is a structure enclosing bells for ringing as part of a building, usually as part of a bell tower or steeple. It can also refer to the entire tower or building, particularly in continental Europe for such a tower attached ...

crowned by a

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...

and a

lantern A lantern is a source of lighting, often portable. It typically features a protective enclosure for the light sourcehistorically usually a candle, a oil lamp, wick in oil, or a thermoluminescence, thermoluminescent Gas mantle, mesh, and often a ...

, and with auctions in the

weathercock A wind vane, weather vane, or weathercock is an instrument used for showing the direction of the wind. It is typically used as an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building. The word ''vane'' comes from the Old English word , me ...

. It has a shining

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

dieciochesco style, being one of the best examples of the whole Basque Country. The weathercock dates back to 1775, specifically it was made on 7 December 1775. The belfry can be reached via 106

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

stairs Stairs are a structure designed to bridge a large vertical direction, vertical distance between lower and higher levels by dividing it into smaller vertical distances. This is achieved as a diagonal series of horizontal platforms called steps wh ...

and its

banister A handrail is a rail that is designed to be grasped by the hand so as to provide safety or support. In Britain, handrails are referred to as banisters. Handrails are commonly used while ascending or descending stairways and escalators in order t ...

, which has a notable geometric precision. From the base to the

there are 32 wooden steps, which remain in need of repair. The outside watch was located in this lantern, with bronze sphere and golden numbers, it was situated between the two coats of arms made of bronze in the consulate

balcony A balcony (from , "scaffold") is a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade, usually above the ground floor. They are commonly found on multi-level houses, apartme ...

, in front of the Mercado de la Ribera. The

bell A bell /ˈbɛl/ () is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be m ...

, substituted the one before, The Circumcision of the Lord, which fell on 29 June 1779. The actual one has the following inscription: "IHS. San Antonio Abad. Ora pro nobis, Antonio de la Hoza me Hizo. 1829." The last contributions date from 1902: the new

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...

in front of the Ronda street, the new

sacristy A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christianity, Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is us ...

and the large parroquial dependences. The construction of the portico and the

frontage Frontage is the boundary between a plot of land or a building and the road onto which the plot or building fronts. Frontage may also refer to the full length of this boundary. This length is considered especially important for certain types of ...

s which run to the bridge were designed by the architect Enrique Epalza, in the

Isabelline Gothic The Isabelline style, also called the Isabelline Gothic (), or Castilian late Gothic, was the dominant architectural style of the Crown of Castile during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of A ...

style, mirroring other styles already present in the church.

References

*El gótico: arte de la Baja Edad Media / María del Carmen Muñoz; Gonzalo M. Borrás; Juan José Junquera / Editorial Espasa Calpe / 2003. *La culminación del gótico /

Luis Sanguino Luis Antonio Sanguino de Pascual (; born 1934) is a Spaniards, Spanish Sculpture, sculptor who is known for many monumental works, mostly in bronze, both in Spain and in the Americas. After living abroad more than once, including sojourns in ot ...

; Carlos Cobo; Álvaro Cruz; Begoña de Isasa / Editorial Dolmen / 2002. *El gótico español de la Edad Moderna : bóvedas de crucería / Javier Gómez / Universidad de Madrid / 1998. *La variedad del gótico del siglo XV / Jesús María Caamaño / Editorial Historia 16 / 1993. *Baja Edad Media: los siglos del gótico / Joaquín Yarza / Editorial Sílex / 1992. *El siglo XVI: Gótico y Renacimiento / Fernando Marías / Editorial Sílex / 1992. *Las claves del arte gótico / Josep Bracons / Editorial Planeta / 1991. *Arte gótico en España / Jose María de Azcárate / Cátedra / 1990. *El arte gótico / Francesca Español; Joaquín Yarza / Editorial Historia 16 / 1989. *El gótico / Roland Recht; Joseph Schlipf / Editorial Alianza / 1988. *La Edad Media: románico, gótico / José Milicua; Joan Sureda / Editorial Planeta / 1987. *La esencia del estilo gótico / Wilhelm Worringer; Manuel García / Revista "Occidente Argentina" / 1942. *San Antón escudo de Bilbao/Olabarria, Anastasio de/Caja de ahorros Vizcaína/1983 {{DEFAULTSORT:Church of San Anton 16th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Spain Roman Catholic churches completed in 1510 Anton Roman Catholic churches in the Basque Country (autonomous community) Buildings and structures in Bilbao Gothic architecture in the Basque Country (autonomous community) Baroque architecture in the Basque Country (autonomous community) Renaissance architecture in the Basque Country (autonomous community) Tourist attractions in Bilbao 1510 establishments in Spain Estuary of Bilbao Bien de Interés Cultural landmarks in Biscay