The Saint Sebastian Church or Iglesia de San Sebastián is a 16th-century church in central

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

, Spain. It is located on Atocha street, #39. The name arises from a devotional chapel (ermita) which was found along the route to the

Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Atocha The Royal Basilica of Our Lady of Atocha or Real Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Atocha is a large church in central Madrid on Avenida de la Ciudad de Barcelona, 1. It is run by the Dominican order.https://www.esmadrid.com/informacion-turistica ...

, founded in 1541. The first architect around 1550 was Antonio Sillero, who also finished the Chapel of the Sagrado Corazón. This church like that of San Luis conserved for years the rights of asylum for those escaping official persecution. More chapels and enlargements were added by Antonio de la Tijera, Juan de Bulga Valdelastras, and Juan de Obregón between 1595 and 1598. The tower was built in 1612 by Lucas Hernández. During the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

, the church was sacked by Republican forces, before it ended up being almost destroyed during a bombing raid by the Nationalists around November 20, 1936. This caused many of the works to be transferred to other sites. For example, the icon of San Blas was moved to the convent of San Jerónimo el RealNews item in EL MUNDO about the procession of San Blas
/ref>). The church was rebuilt in a different orientation by Francisco Íñiguez Almech between 1943 and 1959. In 1969, it was declared a "

Bien de Interés Cultural (, , , ) is a category of the heritage register in Spain. The term is also used in Colombia and other Spanish-speaking countries. The term literally means a "good of cultural interest" ("goods" in the economic sense). It includes not only mater ...

" in the category of monument.

Chapels

The Chapel of Our Lady of Bethlehem, known as the "chapel of the architects", was built in 1693 with

Francisco Moreno Francisco Pascasio Moreno (May 31, 1852 – November 22, 1919) was a prominent explorer and academic in Argentina, where he is usually referred to as ''Perito'' Moreno (''perito'' means "specialist, expert"). Perito Moreno has been credited as on ...

as director of the works, and remodeled by

Ventura Rodríguez Ventura Rodríguez Tizón (July 14, 1717 – September 26, 1785) was a Spanish architect and artist. Born at Ciempozuelos, Rodríguez was the son of a bricklayer. In 1727, he collaborated with his father in the work at the Royal Palace of Ar ...

in 1766-1768. Both Ventura Rodríguez and

Juan de Villanueva Juan de Villanueva (September 15, 1739 in Madrid – August 22, 1811) was a Spanish architect. Alongside Ventura Rodríguez, Villanueva is the best known architect of Spanish Neoclassicism. Biography His father was the sculptor Juan de Villa ...

are buried here. The chapel is to the right of the entrance, protected by a crystal gate. The Chapel of the Holy Heart was designed by Antonio Sillero.

Historical importance

The archives of the church over the centuries have kept biographical data on numerous figures of renown, including:

Baptism

Iglesia San Sebastian Atocha Madrid 0143

Ramón de la Cruz Ramón de la Cruz (28 March 1731 – 5 March 1794) was a Spanish neoclassical dramatist. Born in Madrid, he was a clerk in the ministry of finance. He is the author of nearly 400 ''sainete A sainete (farce or titbit) was a popular Spanish com ...

(1731) *

Leandro Fernández de Moratín Leandro Fernández de Moratín (; 10 March 1760 – 21 June 1828) was a Spanish dramatist, translator and neoclassical poet. Biography Moratín was born in Madrid the son of Nicolás Fernández de Moratín, a major literary reformer in ...

(1760) *

Patricio de la Escosura Patricio de la Escosura Morrogh (5 September 1807–22 January 1878) was a Spanish politician, journalist, playwright and author associated with the Romantic school. Biography Brother of the journalist and playwright Narciso de la Escos ...

(1807) * Jerónimo María Usera y Alarcón (1810) *

Francisco Asenjo Barbieri Francisco Asenjo Barbieri (3 August 1823 – 19 February 1894) was a well-known composer of the popular Spanish opera form, ''zarzuela.'' His works include: '' El barberillo de Lavapiés'', '' Jugar con fuego'', ''Pan y toros'', ''Don Quijote'', ...

(1823) * Luis Madrazo Kuntz (1825) * José de Echegaray (1832) *

Jacinto Benavente Jacinto Benavente y Martínez (12 August 1866 – 14 July 1954) was one of the foremost Spanish dramatists of the 20th century. He was awarded the 1922 Nobel Prize in Literature "for the happy manner in which he has continued the illustrious t ...

(1866)

Funeral services

Miguel de Cervantes Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra ( ; ; 29 September 1547 (assumed) – 22 April 1616 Old Style and New Style dates, NS) was a Spanish writer widely regarded as the greatest writer in the Spanish language and one of the world's pre-eminent novelist ...

(1616) *

Lope de Vega Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio (; 25 November 156227 August 1635) was a Spanish playwright, poet, and novelist who was a key figure in the Spanish Golden Age (1492–1659) of Spanish Baroque literature, Baroque literature. In the literature of ...

(1635) *

Juan Ruiz de Alarcón Juan Ruiz de Alarcón (c. 1581 – 4 August 1639) was a New Spain, New Spanish writer of the Spanish Golden Age, Golden Age who cultivated different variants of dramaturgy. His works include the comedy ''La verdad sospechosa'' (:es:La verdad so ...

(1639) *

Antonio de Pereda Antonio de Pereda y Salgado ( – January 30, 1678) was a Spanish Baroque-era painter, best known for his still lifes. Biography Pereda was born in Valladolid, the eldest of three brothers from an artistic family. His father, mother and two b ...

(1678) *

(1788) *

(1794) *

Nicolás del Campo Nicolás Francisco Cristóbal del Campo, Marquis of Loreto (March 12, 1725 – February 17, 1803) was a Spanish politician and soldier who occupied several posts in the Spanish American colonies, mainly in the River Plate area. Biography He wa ...

(1803) *

(1811) * José de Espronceda (1842)

Weddings

Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer Gustavo Adolfo Claudio Domínguez Bastida (17 February 1836 – 22 December 1870), better known as Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer (), was a Spanish Spanish Romance literature, Romantic poet and writer (mostly short stories), also a playwright, columni ...

* Julián Romea *

Práxedes Mateo Sagasta Práxedes Mariano Mateo Sagasta y Escolar (21 July 1825 – 5 January 1903) was a Spanish civil engineer and politician who served as Prime Minister on eight occasions between 1870 and 1902—always in charge of the Liberal Party—as part of t ...

* Emilio Thuillier *

Mariano José de Larra Mariano José de Larra y Sánchez de Castro (24 March 1809 – 13 February 1837) was a Spanish romantic writer and journalist best known for his numerous essays and his infamous suicide. His works were often satirical and critical of the 19th- ...

Cemetery

The cemetery, at the union of Huertas and San Sebastian streets, has disappeared and is now replaced by a flower shop. In this cemetery

is buried. It also was the site of the ghoulish incident after the burial of actress María Ignacia Ibáñez, when her lover, the writer

José Cadalso José de Cadalso y Vázquez (Cádiz, 1741 – Gibraltar, 1782) was a Spanish soldier, novelist, poet, playwright and essayist. He was one of the major authors of Spanish Enlightenment literature. Career Before completing his twentieth year, Ca ...

, lovelorn, attempted to dig up her body.

References

External links

MadridHistorico
{{Authority control San Sebastian Bien de Interés Cultural landmarks in Madrid Renaissance architecture in Madrid Roman Catholic churches completed in 1693 16th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Spain 1693 establishments in Spain Buildings and structures in Cortes neighborhood, Madrid