The historical complexity of Colegiata de San Antolín

La colegiata de San Antolín is one of the most important historical buildings in Medina del Campo. Located in the Plaza Mayor de la Hispanidad, the temple is characterized by a complex construction that spans from the early 16th century to the 18th century, with various modifications made for maintenance and repair over the centuries.

Originally a parish founded in the 12th century by settlers from Palencia, the church was granted the status of colegiata with a free and exempt abbey in 1480. This happened at the instance of those who echoed the wishes of the former lord of the town, Fernando de Antequera, and his wife Leonor de Alburquerque, who even desired to build a cathedral. While they desired to establish a cathedral, the building lost its privileges in 1851 and became a Parroquia Mayor.

The current structure lacks stylistic unity, featuring many small chapels and various facades. In the 16th century, the main body of the church saw significant expansion, including the completion of the main chapel by master builder Juan Gil de Hontañón. In the 17th century, the building saw the addition of a large balcony for the Cofradía del Santísimo Sacramento to watch ceremonies in the square.

By the 18th century, the main facade was transformed into stone with large columns and sculptural decoration, contrasting with the rest of the brick building. Some older elements, like gargoyles and fragments of a previous cornice, were reused in this construction.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons