Santiago El Mayor Parish Church

The parish church is an artistic and historic monument, which lies in close proximity to Utrera’s castle and fortress. It is an edifice of staggering proportions and displays proof of the change in architectural styles over time.

The current church is Gothic, pertaining to the late 18th century. Its model is very similar to the first churches built following the Conquest. It is clearly defensive in character, as observed through the arrow slits featured on the tower-façade and the thickness of its walls.

It is a hall church, known artistically by the German name “Hallenkirche”. It has a uniform, rectangular floor plan, separated into three naves by vaulting shafts and covered with an extremely beautiful sexpartite vault or tiercerons of uniform elevations. The ribs of the vault rise from pillars in the centre and corbels at sides of the church. The naves were later completed with a Renaissance dome and Baroque and neoclassical chapels.

The main façade, depressed and sheltered within a basket-handle arch, is on the west end of the church, from which the three-sectioned stone and brick tower sprouts.