Parish Church of Santa Marina

The history of Santa Marina de Aguas Santas is that of a building that knew how to reinvent itself. Although its original walls date back to the 17th century, what we see today is the result of a radical makeover that took place in 1791, when the architect Ignacio Tomás decided to bring order and modernity to the old temple.

That “fight” between the old and the modern is what makes the interior fascinating. Upon entering, the naves envelop you with vaults full of Baroque plasterwork, a dense and heavy decoration —very much to the Andalusian taste of the time— which is repeated in the Rosario chapel. But notice what happens as you move towards the altar: suddenly, the ornamentation disappears. In the transept, the vault becomes smooth and clean. It is not an oversight; it is the hand of architect Tomás imposing the neoclassical style, which preferred the elegance of the structure over the saturation of ornament.

This clean space also serves to highlight the jewel of the church: the main altarpiece. This piece has special value because it is a survivor. It was not carved for Villafranca, but was rescued and moved from the church of San Francisco and San Eulogio in Córdoba, fitting in here as if it had always been its home.

Outside, the building plays at being discreet. The bell tower tells us how they built back then: a solid, blind base to provide stability, reserving the arches only for the upper part, where the sound of the bells could expand freely under its hipped roof. And if you look at the facade, you will see a curious detail above the door: the stone tympanum is not broken by time, but broken on purpose. It is an architectural resource designed to break the monotony and create a place of honor, a perfect niche where the wrought-iron cross stands out against the shadow.