Hospital of Santiago

Surely, the Santiago Hospital would be the first monument you will find when you arrive to Úbeda with your car or going on bus because it is close to the Bus Station and placed on one of the main streets that go to the town centre. Moreover, the Obispo Cobos street, commonly known as the shops street –because of the huge amount of shops in it–, ends with this building.

Even if the Santiago Hospital is placed far from the monumental area represented by the Vázquez de Molina Square, this building has nothing to envy to those placed there. It is other architectural jewel of the Civil Spanish Renaissance made by the artist Andrés de Vandelvira and his father, Pedro de Vandelvira. It is important to know that it was declared Historic National Architectural Monument in 1927.

It was built between 1562 and 1575, under the directions of the Bishop Diego de los Cobos. Its purpose, at the beginning, was to become a hospital for poor and sick people as the same time as church, mausoleum and palace. However, it is used nowadays as cultural, exhibitions and congresses centre.

Without any doubt, what will surprise you will be its magnificent facade, framed on its front by two beautiful towers, covered by coloured tiled domes and, on its back, by other two towers which delimit with the big central chapel. On its facade, you can distinguish the niche with Santiago the Moor-slayer, to whom the monument is devoted to. Maybe, the structure of the building would remember you the monastery of El Escorial.

You will enter to the building through a large semi-circular arch and, at the end, you will see a central arcade courtyard with double gallery of semi-circular arches supported by white polished marbled columns, that came from the Italian region of Carrara.  Furthermore, in both sides there are two little courtyards: on one of them, the Municipal Library is placed and, on the other, some rooms are used to exhibitions or events.

At the end of the central courtyard, you will find the Chapel, in which you will access through a grille with three doors.  This place will surprise you, especially thanks of the ceilings, as there are some frescos related to classic themes and the wonderful wooden altarpiece. The situation of the choir is also original, since it is at the foot of the high altar and it has a ground plan with H form and two towers directed to the centre of the church.

Finally, you shouldn’t forget to visit the staircase with imperial style which is on a side of the courtyard. You will observe in it a kind of “hanging” vault decorated with frescos related to the pagan classic world. There is a replica of the Sacred Chapel of the Saviour made on wood as well. On the top, there is a gallery of columns and their windows look out onto the central courtyard.