San Tirso Church

Regarded as a clear example of Mudejar Romanesque in Spain, it is thought to have been built in the early 13th century. Parts that have remained since then are the head with three apses and the four-level tower (the three upper ones with arches). It has a basilica-shaped layout with three naves, crossing and three semicircular apses preceded by their corresponding straight sections. Pointed quarter sphere vaults cover the apse, whereas the presbytery is covered by barrel vaults. On the other hand, the roofs at the central naves and the crossing were reformed in subsequent restorations. Therefore, they currently display a coffered ceiling made in the 1950’s. The side naves have a flat, gypsum ceiling; this is the outcome of one of the last restorations. Regarding the two side apses, only the one on the pulpit side is original. We do not know when the northern apse was knocked down to raise a sacristy in its stead. The current one was built in the 1950’s too, akin to the Southern apse (a project by architect Luis Menéndez Pidal). The original façade with triple pointed archivolt is still preserved, protected by a layer of bricks. It is currently blocked and caved in about two meters (six ft.) below the ground surface, causing issues with humidity in the temple. The tower is an exact replica of the missing, original one, which collapsed in 1948, knocking down the apses it used to lean on. The crossing’s center, the section preceding the central apse and the tower were completely rebuilt; therefore works ended in 1960.

Inside the church there are two Gothic pieces made in stone around the year 1240: a scultpure of Saint John the Evangelist, which presents remains of polychrome and must have belonged to the old façade of San Benito monastery; a sepulcher from the Trianos monastery, showing the recumbent effigy of a knight. At the Southern end of the crossing there are two other sepulchers. One of them contains the remains of Jerónimo Coronel Velázquez, native of Valladolid and supplier of the cathedrals of Valladolid, León and Astorga. He was the parish priest of San Tirso church in Sahagún, supplier of the abbey and an ordinary judge at the Tribunal of the Holy Inquisition. The second sepulcher has the remains of his grandparents and his brother. Presiding over the set of chairs at the Peregrina church stands a 15^th- century image of Saint Michael. Also presiding over there is a neoclassical reredos with the title holder’s image belonging to Salvador Carmona’s school, two alabaster pulpits coming from the monastery and a urn with the remains of martyrs Saint Facundus and Saint Primitivus.

Address: Plaza San Tirso s/n, 24320, Sahagún (León)

Phone number: (+34) 987780001 (Town council)

Opening hours: The whole year from Tuesday to Saturday, 10.30 to 1.30 PM and 4 to 6 PM. Sundays 10-3PM and Mondays closed.