A Roman hypocaust hidden beneath a 12th-century Spanish church

The Church of Santa María La Antigua in Valladolid, Spain, is a 12th-century edifice with a complex history. Below the current structure, foundations dating back to a Roman hypocaust were discovered. While the church was likely founded in 1095 by Count Pedro Ansúrez, there are no remains of that original structure. The oldest parts of the current temple date back to the late 12th century.

The northern gallery and the tower, constructed in Romanesque style, were built in the late 12th century. In the 14th century, most of the existing structure was demolished, leaving the tower and portico as the only remaining Romanesque features. The later Gothic style followed that of Burgos Cathedral. The church has three aisles, with three polygonal apses and a transept, and the nave and the aisles are rib-vaulted.

The building underwent successive additions and reparations as the parish population grew. In the mid-16th century, architect Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón restored the collapsing building, adding buttresses and several windows. From this period also date the high altar retablo by Juan de Juni, which is now in the Valladolid Cathedral. Several Baroque altarpieces were executed for the church's interior during the 17th and 18th centuries, hiding the original Gothic appearance.

In the early 20th century, the building was extensively restored and rebuilt to show its original Romanesque-Gothic appearance. This work followed the doctrines of the French architect Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc. The church was declared Bien de Interés Cultural in 1897.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons