The Oratory de San Felipe Neri: a place of worship and a birthplace of Spanish

The Church of Oratorio de San Felipe Neri, known as Iglesia del Oratorio de San Felipe Neri (Spanish), is a church that was built in Cádiz, Spain, between 1685 and 1719. It was designated as Bien de Interés Cultural in 1907. The church is characterized by its Baroque architectural style and unique elliptical floor plan, which sets it apart as one of the few elliptical plan temples of Andalusian Baroque architecture. This structure has great historical importance, as it was a vital location during the Napoleonic invasion of Spain, where it served as the meeting place for the Cortes of Cádiz, the Spanish resistance government.

During the parliamentary sessions held in the church's elliptical interior, it functioned as a natural amphitheater with excellent acoustics, making it ideal for debates. Today, the Oratorio de San Felipe Neri continues to serve as an active church and an important historical site. It hosts traditional Latin Mass on Sundays and provides insight into its historical significance through its annexed Interpretation Centre of the 1812 Constitution. It remains in excellent condition, having undergone restorations for the bicentennial celebrations in 2012 and continues to host annual religious services and investiture ceremonies for the Hospitaller Knights of San Juan.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons