San Pedro & San Pablo Church (Seville, 1963)

This week we visited the church of San Pablo and San Pedro, a project carried out between 1961 and 1963 by the architects Antonio de la Peña and Luis Recasens, in collaboration with the artist Santiago del Campo, in Seville.

This modernist building represents quite well the integration of the plastic arts in the architecture that was intended in Franco's Spain in the 50s and 60s. The intention to give an image of progress and modernity to the rest of the world during the dictatorship is evident in these new ecclesiastical constructions (which were a fundamental pillar for the regime).

This plasticity is reflected in the Church of San Pablo in the exterior mosaics that decorate the façade as a mural, in the stained glass windows, the lattices or in the design of the ceramics on the ceiling of the entrance.

The interior of the church is absolutely simple, making its shape clear to us from any point. The only thing that seems to decorate the interior is the play of light created by the stained glass windows next to the altar and the lattices, in addition to a set of crosses placed on one of the side walls.

From my point of view, this is the moment of greatest complicity between architect and artist, since their collaboration in the design of these elements is evident, which far from being just decorative, are also part of the functionality of the building, creating a feeling of calm and spirituality.

Have you visited it? We read you in comments!