What to see and visit in Villafranca de Córdoba

Tower and Hermitage of San Miguel

The Tower and Hermitage of San Miguel stand on the remains of the old parish church of Santa Marina, built in the late 14th century in Villafranca de Córdoba. This architectural complex is a fine example of Mudejar Gothic, with later interventions in the 17th and 18th centuries that added Renaissance and Baroque elements.

The western nave, with a rectangular floor plan, features a stone ribbed vault in the Gothic style. In the 17th century, a section was added with a lowered brick dome decorated with hexagonal coffers and polychrome plaster cherubs, along with pendentives adorned with Baroque borders.

The rectangular tower preserves its original 14th-century base. Renovations in the 17th and 18th centuries included the addition of a Renaissance brick belfry with Mudejar details. A side-integrated stone spiral staircase provides access to the belfry.

In 2013–2014, a municipal employment workshop promoted by the Town Council carried out restoration works, including the cleaning and protection of both exterior and interior walls, as well as the recovery of deteriorated architectural elements.

Information sourced from the blog “Historia gráfica de Villafranca” by Joaquín Priego.