Church of San Pedro, Villar de los Navarros
Plaza de la Iglesia. 50156 Villar de los Navarros
CURRENT PROTECTION STATUS: ACI
TYPE OF ASSET: Property
CATEGORY: Religious
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Mudejar
CONSTRUCTION DATE: Original construction, 15th century
The Mudejar temple and the tower attached to its west end, which is one of the most striking features of the church, were erected in the 15th century. From this early phase, the last four bays of the central nave, the raised choir at the west end, some traces of paintings and painted brick designs in the church interior and the interesting bell tower remain standing.
Expansion, 16th century
During the first half of the 16th century, the first remodeling of the temple was done, adding another bay at the east end of the central nave, erecting a new polygonal plan apse and building the sacristy.
Expansion, 18th century
The third phase, or Baroque remodeling, took place in the early 18th century, completely modifying the original layout of the church, which went from a single nave to having three naves after the side aisles were added, and new rooms were also built adjacent to the east end to house services.
Destruction, 20th century (1936-1939)
The church was destroyed in the Spanish Civil War and all its altarpieces were burned.
CURRENT PROTECTION STATUS: ACI
TYPE OF ASSET: Property
CATEGORY: Religious
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: Mudejar
CONSTRUCTION DATE: Original construction, 15th century
The Mudejar temple and the tower attached to its west end, which is one of the most striking features of the church, were erected in the 15th century. From this early phase, the last four bays of the central nave, the raised choir at the west end, some traces of paintings and painted brick designs in the church interior and the interesting bell tower remain standing.
Expansion, 16th century
During the first half of the 16th century, the first remodeling of the temple was done, adding another bay at the east end of the central nave, erecting a new polygonal plan apse and building the sacristy.
Expansion, 18th century
The third phase, or Baroque remodeling, took place in the early 18th century, completely modifying the original layout of the church, which went from a single nave to having three naves after the side aisles were added, and new rooms were also built adjacent to the east end to house services.
Destruction, 20th century (1936-1939)
The church was destroyed in the Spanish Civil War and all its altarpieces were burned.
The parish church of San Pedro, which dates from the 15th century, stands in the center of the town of Villar de los Navarros. The current building is the result of two extensions of the original Mudejar structure, rendered in the 16th and 18th centuries.
The church of San Pedro consists of a polygonal apse at the east end covered by a stellar vault, to which rooms used for services are attached on the east and south sides and the sacristy on the north side. This volume is composed of three naves, with the central nave higher and wider than the side aisles, divided into five bays. The last four of these bays are covered by quadripartite rib vaults with diagonal ribs resting on irregular cruciform columns, whereas the first bay is covered by a stellar vault with tiercerons and liernes.
The side aisles are divided into four bays covered by domes resting on pendentives with a lantern, and they open onto the central nave through round arches. The choir that is raised over the west end contains wall fragments featuring Mudejar painted brick designs, in which interlacing mixtilinear motifs and intertwined Gothic quatrefoils can be seen.
The simple portal on the exterior of the temple has two sections: the lower part has a round arch for the entrance while the upper part features a scallop- shaped enclosure with a sculpture of the saint after which the church is named.
The bell tower attached to the west end, constructed in the early decades of the 15th century, has an interesting shape: it comprises a main tower containing the belfry, with a smaller-sized secondary tower attached to it, housing the spiral staircase.
The church of San Pedro consists of a polygonal apse at the east end covered by a stellar vault, to which rooms used for services are attached on the east and south sides and the sacristy on the north side. This volume is composed of three naves, with the central nave higher and wider than the side aisles, divided into five bays. The last four of these bays are covered by quadripartite rib vaults with diagonal ribs resting on irregular cruciform columns, whereas the first bay is covered by a stellar vault with tiercerons and liernes.
The side aisles are divided into four bays covered by domes resting on pendentives with a lantern, and they open onto the central nave through round arches. The choir that is raised over the west end contains wall fragments featuring Mudejar painted brick designs, in which interlacing mixtilinear motifs and intertwined Gothic quatrefoils can be seen.
The simple portal on the exterior of the temple has two sections: the lower part has a round arch for the entrance while the upper part features a scallop- shaped enclosure with a sculpture of the saint after which the church is named.
The bell tower attached to the west end, constructed in the early decades of the 15th century, has an interesting shape: it comprises a main tower containing the belfry, with a smaller-sized secondary tower attached to it, housing the spiral staircase.
The main tower has a square floor plan and a Christian interior structure, i.e., it is a hollow tower divided into square-plan rooms arranged on five levels, each one lower in height than the one below it, covered by a rib vault with octagonal diagonal ribs but no bosses; the floors are not interconnected, the only means of access being via the spiral staircase housed in the secondary tower. There are large panels of ornamental motifs on the exterior, especially in the upper section of the main tower. Some of the most commonly used motifs include simple angled brick friezes, strips of double-edged zig-zag patterns, intertwined mixtilinear arches and panels of crisscrossing lines forming diamond shapes.
This main tower is crenelated at the top and has a pyramid-shaped spire.
This main tower is crenelated at the top and has a pyramid-shaped spire.
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Interventions
Restoration, 20th to 21st century
Between 2000 and 2002, the restoration of the temple tower was carried out, sponsored by the Provincial Government of Zaragoza, the Zaragoza Diocese and the Villafeliche City Council. The investment amounted to 120,202 euros.
Between 2000 and 2002, the restoration of the temple tower was carried out, sponsored by the Provincial Government of Zaragoza, the Zaragoza Diocese and the Villafeliche City Council. The investment amounted to 120,202 euros.
Projects and interventions
Projects and interventions, and the driving forces behind them, define the history of monumental buildings and how they are perceived.
The downloadable file shows the current status of review proceedings in progress, making it possible to gradually update the knowledge about each monumental building.
The downloadable file shows the current status of review proceedings in progress, making it possible to gradually update the knowledge about each monumental building.
Declarations
Declaration, 21st century
The church of San Pedro in Villar de los Navarros was declared a provincial monument of historical and artistic interest under the Ministry of National Education Order dated May 31, 1961, which was published the Official State Gazette of August 19, 1961.
The Official Gazette of Aragon dated August 14, 2002 published the Department of Culture and Tourism Order of July 9, 2002, whereby the original declaration of the church of San Pedro in Villar de los Navarros (Zaragoza) is supplemented pursuant to Transitional Provision One of Aragonese Cultural Heritage Act 3/1999, of March 10.
The church of San Pedro in Villar de los Navarros was declared a provincial monument of historical and artistic interest under the Ministry of National Education Order dated May 31, 1961, which was published the Official State Gazette of August 19, 1961.
The Official Gazette of Aragon dated August 14, 2002 published the Department of Culture and Tourism Order of July 9, 2002, whereby the original declaration of the church of San Pedro in Villar de los Navarros (Zaragoza) is supplemented pursuant to Transitional Provision One of Aragonese Cultural Heritage Act 3/1999, of March 10.
Bibliography
BORRÁS GUALIS, GONZALO M. Arte mudéjar aragonés, Colección Básica Aragonesa, Guara, Zaragoza, 1987, pp. 192.
BORRÁS GUALIS, GONZALO M., Arte Mudéjar Aragonés, Caja de Ahorros y Monte de Piedad de Zaragoza Aragón y Rioja y el Colegio Oficial de Aparejadores y Arquitectos técnicos de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, 1985.
SANMIGUEL MATEO, AGUSTÍN. Torres de ascendencia islámica en las comarcas de Calatayud y Daroca, Centro de estudios bilbilitanos, Institución “Fernando el Católico”, Calatayud, 1998.
VV.AA. Tierra Mudéjar. El mudéjar Aragonés, Patrimonio Mundial, Heraldo de Aragón, D.L. 2002.
Appendixes
The church of San Pedro
Plaza de la Iglesia
50156 Villar de los Navarros
Visit Villar de los Navarros
City Hall: 976 14 28 01
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