Eight Sided Lantern of Dark

Torres Del Rio has a lovely Church of the Holy Sepulchre that is is quite unusual. Christians paid for it but hired Mudejars to build it, so it has Islamic influence. It is also assumed to be Templar, as the inside is a single space without knaves.

It probably at least 13th century, 8 sided right up to the dome, which is round, something unique. There are curved arches that criss-cross the ceiling to form a star, and these end in columns or corbels (supports) that are decorated with a ring of chequerboard carving (called jaca, presumably from the town further east). There are little buildings that look Muslim above, and carvings of flowers and trees and birds to cap the columns.

It is dark inside, with only a few tiny window spaces way up high that are covered with decorative stone lattices. Only one added piece of decoration, a 13th century painted wood crucifix with a carved Jesus, dating to the beginning of the 13th century.

It is the combination of elements that makes it so completely unique and interesting, and its proportions are really pleasing. A stone bench follows the octagonal line at sitting height, and I enjoyed just resting there and taking it all in.

There is thought that this church, which looks more like a lantern than a traditional church, might have been used only for funerals (and there would have been many along the Camino de Santiago), or as a beacon to help pilgrims. Thankfully, I only needed it for aesthetic inspiration.