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

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, Spain. It is dedicated to

Anthony the Great Anthony the Great ( grc-gre, Ἀντώνιος ''Antṓnios''; ar, القديس أنطونيوس الكبير; la, Antonius; ; c. 12 January 251 – 17 January 356), was a Christian monk from Egypt, revered since his death as a saint. He is d ...

, 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 heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

. 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 inst ...

flows next to it.

Introduction

Saint Anthony's church is an example of the

Gothic style Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths ** Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken ...

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

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. Some claim that in 1334 Alfonso XI of Castile 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 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 ( grc-gre, Ἀντώνιος ''Antṓnios''; ar, القديس أنطونيوس الكبير; la, Antonius; ; c. 12 January 251 – 17 January 356), was a Christian monk from Egypt, revered since his death as a saint. He is d ...

. 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

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

congregation A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of worship. Congregation may also refer to: * Church (congregation), a Christian organization meeting in a particular place for worship *Congregation (Roman Curia), an administr ...

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

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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 The Carlist Wars () were a series of civil wars that took place in Spain during the 19th century. The contenders fought over claims to the throne, although some political differences also existed. Several times during the period from 1833 to 187 ...

. 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 AD, led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, and much of Northern, Southern and ...

was created in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

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

Biscay Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao. B ...

, 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, 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

Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...

or Andra Mari of

Lekeitio Lekeitio (; es, Lequeitio) 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 importa ...

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 which 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 th ...

: 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 (, ), official name (reflecting the Basque language) Gernika (), 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 mu ...

Getxo Getxo () is a town located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, in Spain. It is part of Greater Bilbao, and has 77,946 inhabitants (2019). Getxo is mostly an affluent residential area, as well as being the ...

, Orduña, Gueñes,

Erandio Erandio is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. The name comes from euskera ARANDIO that means plum plantation or field. In 1415, during the War of the Bands, ...

Galdakao Galdakao is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. It is located in the Greater Bilbao, in the valley of the Ibaizabal river, near the Ganguren mountain range. ...

Portugalete Portugalete is a town lying to the west of Bilbao in the province of Biscay in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain. The town has 45,766 inhabitants (2019 census) and is part of Bilbao's metropolitan area. It is located a ...

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. Histo ...

, 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 is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...

s that the church. Built in 1530 this chapel is an example of the late

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

style which can be seen in other nearby construction like

Begoña Begoña or more puristically but also more rarely spelled ''Begoina'', meaning 'the lower foot' (of Mount Artxanda), is a historical municipality of Biscay ( Basque Country, Spain) which was incorporated into Bilbao in 1925. Originally it includ ...

, 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

Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...

. 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, in order to command and defend strateg ...

. There is a stained glass window located in the front wall. San anton (3)

The

held two altarpieces. One of the altarpieces 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 religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paga ...

that contains a

wood Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin ...

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 ...

of Inmaculada and some

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

s. There is also a

silver Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical ...

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

structure in the entrance arch, rib vault on the ceilings 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 architecture, the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neither columns nor ...

contains the following inscription written in

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

: "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

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 oth ...

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 rib vault and a small blinded

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 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 (283–304), also called Saint Lucia ( la, Sancta Lucia) 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 the Catholic Church, ...

and

Saint Sebastian Saint Sebastian (in Latin: ''Sebastianus''; Narbo, Gallia Narbonensis, Roman Empire c. AD 255 – Rome, Italia, Roman Empire c. AD 288) was an early Christian saint and martyr. According to traditional belief, he was killed during the Diocle ...

flanking it.

Façade of Renaissance

The church contains a

façade A façade () (also written facade) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a loan word from the French (), which means ' frontage' or ' face'. In architecture, the façade of a building is often the most important aspect ...

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 Greek and Roman thought a ...

, not of

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

- the entry arches are round arches and are typical of the

Romanesque style Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe characterized by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque style, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 11th century, this later ...

; and at the door consists of another type of arch used at the end of the 15th century. The most visible

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 ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

. Around the arches there are small sculptures of low

relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term '' relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...

, with the form of heads, symbol of the anthropocentrism 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 Corinthian or Corinthians may refer to: *Several Pauline epistles, books of the New Testament of the Bible: **First Epistle to the Corinthians **Second Epistle to the Corinthians **Third Epistle to the Corinthians (Orthodox) *A demonym relating to ...

columns, typical of the

style. These are smaller in comparison with other buildings, but they contain all the essence of the syle: a

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 ) (Simeon, Simon) , birth_date = , birth_place = Bethsaida, Gaulanitis, Syria, Roman Empire , death_date = Between AD 64–68 , death_place = probably Vatican Hill, Rome, Italia, Roman Empire , parents = John (or Jonah; Jona) , occupat ...

and

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

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

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 crowned by a dome and a lantern, 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 , m ...

. It has a shining Baroque 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 ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

stairs 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 usually used to provide support for body or to hold clothings in a bathroom or ...

, which has a notable geometric precision. From the base to the lantern 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 it, balcone, "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. Types The traditional Maltese balcony ...

, in front of the Mercado de la Ribera. The

bell A bell 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 made by an inte ...

, 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 in front of the Ronda street, the new sacristy and the large parroquial dependences. The construction of the portico and the frontages which run to the bridge were designed by the architect Enrique Epalza, in the

Isabelline Gothic The Isabelline style, also called the Isabelline Gothic ( es, Gótico Isabelino), 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 ...

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; 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 Anton may refer to: People *Anton (given name), including a list of people with the given name *Anton (surname) Places *Anton Municipality, Bulgaria **Anton, Sofia Province, a village *Antón District, Panama **Antón, a town and capital of th ...

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