Santa María das Areas church

Santa María das Areas of Fisterra straighten up on the access road to the light house, at the slope of the cape mount. 

History

HistoryIt’s origin is established on1199 according to the gift brief from Doña Urraca Fernández, daughter of the Traba Count, which reads as follows “V. modios de pane et tertian vacarum mearum de montealto. Ad opus ecclesie Ste. Marie de finibus terre”. By origin had lounge ground plan (cuadrangular) but time after time they were leanned several chapels and a vestry.

The legendary linking of the Apostle Santiago with these lands made that Fisterra was too much visited as the end of the Way, to pray after the Holy Christ, and so that during the XIV, XV and XVI centuries was so great de pilgrims number that the village parish priest, Alonso García, decided to found the Pilgrims Hospital Our Lady of the Rosary on 1479, built in front of the church main façade.

Stands out in this temple its artistic riches, always influenced by the architectural trends applied on Santiago cathedral, and by the Camino de Santiago influence, and without doubt by the high number of pilgrims who after visit the Apostle grave made theit way to these lands to pray after the Holy Christ and to see the sea, for a lot of them the first time in their life

The little-belled monstrance used at the Corpus procession was hidden during several years at the church inside, without any doubt it was made dissapear for fear to the french ships, which on these dates devastated these shores, pillagin the churches.

Luckyly was recovered on 1890, during improvemnt works.

Chapel and Image of the Holy Christ of Fisterra

The chapel has oblong ground plan and baroque style. There are research workers who claim its authorship to master Domingo A. de Andrade, showed off artist at the Santiago Cathedral building, or maybe to Fray Gabriel de las Casas. Anyway, its building was initiated on 695 to shelter the altarpìece which protects the image of the Holy Christ of Fisterra. The mentionned altarpiece is date on 1721, and is a work from Miguel de Romay, on his artistic maturity age.

As by the tradition, the Christ Gothic image(beginning of the XIV century) is a work fromNicodemus. Legend told that was carried by a ship which must throw it to the sea, atCabanas headland, to abate the storm which whipped the zone and thus continue its voyage. Among the most famous miracles from the Golden Beard Christstands out the conversion of some moors who after went ashore near the church burst into it with the idea of desecrate it. They exist other similare images at Burgos and Ourense, coming from the last one from a present of the Fisterra bishop Vasco Pérez Mariño, when he passed on to rule the Ourense episcopal see.

High Chapel

This chapel (halfway though XIV century) takes part of the original design on the church joint, altogether with the central nave, which formed a whole before the incorporation of the remaining chapels, conserving several parts from the XII century.

Stand out here the baroque sacrarium, the back wall window , romanic style, and the splendid image of the parish landlady, Nosa Señora das Areas, renaissance work from the first half of the XVI century.

Also, till thebeginning of the present century existed a baroque style high altarpiece realized by Francisco Antas on 1640 which unfortunately was lost and only remain the draws.

Probably part of the images conserved nowadays were lodged in this high altarpiece, with the Pilgrim Santiago from the central nave.

Chapel of the Virgen and Chapel of Our Lady of the Garden

It got the name of Our Lady of the Fifth Anguish and Saint Michael. Were founded by Roy Estévez and Alverta González on April 3rd 1496. Ghotic Borgoñano style, this chapel, to where we can accede by a pointed arch, has as a stand out characteristic the crosspieced vault.

The Chapel of Our Lady of the Garden Under the dedication of Our Lady of the Rosary, which gave name to this chapel during several years, was founded by María Blanca, widow of the merchant Fernando de Mallo on1524. Plateresque style, its interest lies in the sense of taking the form of the first Galician artistic repercussions from the new cloister at Compostela cathedral, repeatting the vault and the archbishop shield. The altarpiece, decorated with the carmelite order shield, was donate byMatheo Pérez Valdivieso on 1741.

Central Nave, Baptistry and Holy Gate

The central nave is dated beginning the XV century, with its archs and Ghotic semicolumns, even parts of the north wall, as the window on the back door, or the main front are dated finishing the XII century. Stand sout the image of Pilgrim Santiago from the XVII century.

The baptistry received the name of Chapel of Santa Lucía and is the elderest of the chapels leaned to the central nave during centurias. Probably was founded between 1225 and 1250, and its style is pure ghotic as far on its entry arch as in its crosspieced vault. It conserve inside two graves from benefactors of the building.

The Holy Gate is a crossing gate, one of the scanty that you can watch in Galicia on Egas style, decorated in the outside with acanthushaped motives, and flnked by to shields: Feijoo and Recamán. This Holy Gateis the temple entry routr during the acts of the Holy Year.