ST. FRANCIS CHURCH - AUDIO GUIDE
AUDIO GUIDE TRANSCRIPTION
The church of St. Francis was founded in Palencia in the thirteenth century. It is considered a National Monument since 1962.
This church and its monastery have been very important throughout the history of the city, as they gave shelter to monarchs, lords and warriors. Queen Elizabeth or Fernando IV spent some time there. Besides, General Courts of the Kingdom were held there during the fourteenth Century. Due to its importance and prestige, the church soon became the burial place of the most important families of the city. In those days, it was the centre of all culture and learning.
The monastery was a large complex structure. Nowadays, we can only see the church, some remains of a Gothic cloister and an interior cloister. This Gothic cloister has become the current portico of the church. It has five sections with ogive vaults. The façade has a central pointed arch with a large rose window and three smaller rounded windows. They are used to light up the church. On top of the façade there is a bell tower.
The church has a simple structure: a single nave divided into seven sections. The chapels are between the buttresses. Throughout history, the original structure of the church has been modified many times.
The altarpiece is in Baroque style and it is from the eighteenth century. It has a choir with a magnificent coffered ceiling.
On the south side of the church, there is a cloister from the seventeenth century. It has two galleries, an upper one and a lower one, supported by stone columns. Through this cloister, you can get into a small chapel whose walls, floor and vaults are covered with skulls.
This church and its monastery have been very important throughout the history of the city, as they gave shelter to monarchs, lords and warriors. Queen Elizabeth or Fernando IV spent some time there. Besides, General Courts of the Kingdom were held there during the fourteenth Century. Due to its importance and prestige, the church soon became the burial place of the most important families of the city. In those days, it was the centre of all culture and learning.
The monastery was a large complex structure. Nowadays, we can only see the church, some remains of a Gothic cloister and an interior cloister. This Gothic cloister has become the current portico of the church. It has five sections with ogive vaults. The façade has a central pointed arch with a large rose window and three smaller rounded windows. They are used to light up the church. On top of the façade there is a bell tower.
The church has a simple structure: a single nave divided into seven sections. The chapels are between the buttresses. Throughout history, the original structure of the church has been modified many times.
The altarpiece is in Baroque style and it is from the eighteenth century. It has a choir with a magnificent coffered ceiling.
On the south side of the church, there is a cloister from the seventeenth century. It has two galleries, an upper one and a lower one, supported by stone columns. Through this cloister, you can get into a small chapel whose walls, floor and vaults are covered with skulls.
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