Church of Santa María (Lebeña)

Santa María de Lebeña is a pre-Romanesque church of the Mozarabic style in the autonomous Spanish region of Cantabria. It belongs to the municipality of Cillorigo de Liébana and is located outside the village Lebeña the Río Deva, south of the Desfiladero de la Hermida at the foot of the Picos de Europa. The church is dated to the 10th century. On March 27, 1893 was declared a cultural monument ( Bien de Interès Cultural ).

History

A few years after the Moorish conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, the area of Liébana by the Asturian King Alfonso was I. ( 739-757 ) reconquered and repopulated. In the approximately 15 miles of Santa María de Lebeña remote monastery, which was dedicated to St. Toribius since the 12th century, lived 756-768 of the monk Beatus, the author of the richly illustrated and repeatedly copied Commentary on the Revelation of John ( Apocalypse ). From the cartulary of the monastery shows that Count Alfonso of Liébana and his wife Justa could build a church, which they consecrated seven patron saints, St.. Romanus, St.. Martin, St.. Prisca, Saint. Justa and St.. Rufina and the Saviour ( Salvator ) and Maria. The founders endowed the church with altar furniture of gold and silver, with precious textiles and manuscripts. Since no reliable dates are obtained for the construction of the church, it is dated 924-959, ie during the lifetime of the Count and his wife. The standing next to the church yew tree and an olive tree may have been planted because of their age at the time of foundation of the Church. In northern Spain there was the custom to plant a yew tree at a church planting. Two of the cartridge, Justa and Rufina, were martyrs from Seville, suggesting that also the founder of the Church of Andalusia, maybe even Seville, came and Mozarabic immigrants were.

Since the 16th century, the church serves as the parish church of Lebeña. The free-standing bell tower was built in the 20th century. The southern porch and vestry on the north side are later additions.

Architecture

The building is constructed of masonry, which is connected with mortar and was probably formerly plastered. The corners are reinforced with large blocks. As is usual in Mozarabic churches is the entrance on the south side. Under the umbrella approach a Gesimsleiste runs with a narrow frieze with geometric motifs. The wide overhanging eaves rest on rolls consoles, where - as in the chapel of San Miguel de Celanova - sun gears and rosettes are shown.

Interior

The church has three naves and divided into twelve nearly square room parts, which are spanned by barrel vaults. The two bays of the aisles have cross- tons, the other parts of the room wearing long tons. The two bays of the nave tower above - as the crossing of Santa Comba de Bande or Santiago de Peñalba - tower-like the other parts of the building and are pierced by clerestory windows. On the square nave close to the east three apses on. The average, larger apse is square, the two sides have a trapezoidal plan. The eastern bay of the nave is increased by one step and demarcated as a presbytery.

Columns and capitals

Horseshoe arches connect the space parts together. They rest on massive pillars with selected columns. Remainders of stucco on the bases suggest that the pillars were formerly painted in color. The monolithic shafts wearing Corinthian capitals, which are equipped with two or three rows of stylized leaves decorate and bounded below by a Taubandring. The resting on the capitals fighters have double fillet profiles.

Altar

There is a almost a meter wide and 1.75 m long stone slab, which is decorated in the center with a large sun At the front of the altar. On both sides three circles are carved, are enrolled in the floral motifs and wavy lines. Until 1971, this stone slab was placed face down on the floor and served as a step to the altar. Due to the enigmatic symbols there are suspicions that this stone slab could date back to pre-Christian times.