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Old altars of San Martín

The church of San Martín had an extraordinary pictorial wealth of Gothic tables that have disappeared in successive reforms.
From the inventories of the years 1664 and 1683 we can deduce that, if they had been preserved, the temple would be a true art gallery.
The primitive main altarpiece must have been extraordinary. In the center of it was placed the Romanesque stone relief of San Martín, which today is embedded in the niche outside the main chapel, and which constitutes one of the capital pieces of the temple.
In said inventory of 1664, the primitive main altarpiece is described as follows:


"The main altar, which is dedicated to Mr. San Martín, is for the Bishop in the first compartment as an antithesis, all carved, and in the second for a knight with his horse. The altarpiece has twelve brush boards and compartments of gilded wood and at the foot twelve apostles in their niches, and, in the middle, the monstrance of the Blessed Sacrament, made of gilt wood, and on one side an Our Lady and the large Child, and on the other Mrs. Santa Ana and Our Lady. and the Child in one piece, and four large coral-colored vases with sprigs of talc with golden handles.


The inventory of 1683, on this same main altarpiece, says:


"And on the altar table a large monstrance (Sanctuary), corresponding to the primitive altarpiece, with its frame and with three canvases, the main one being a painting of the Good Shepherd with the lost sheep and on the other sides, one of Abram's sacrifices. and the other
Samson despoiling the lion...

This tabernacle, long since disappeared, was placed some time later in the new and current altarpiece.
Other Gothic altarpieces from the temple were also reviewed in these inventories; vg "Altar of Sta. Catalina, a brush table with its doors, with a niche where there is a shirt of one of the 11,000 virgins"; altar of San Cosme and San Damián, brush panel, with frame in the form of a gilded altarpiece, and on top Sto. Christ crucified in bulk.
Collateral altar of San Blas, the Saint in the middle, and below the descent of the cross.
Collateral altar of the epistle, brush altarpiece of the Smo. Sacrament and Adoration of the Kings.
The inventory of 1617 mentions some valuable objects that have not come down to us; for example, a small tapestry that has "a crucified Christ and Longinus on a horse with his spear."
"Two very large tapestries that hang in the monument and in the main chapel, one has the Supper painted and the other Saint Martin.
From the inventory of 1683 we can extract the following:
"In the pillar where the pulpit is, there is an altar with its altarpiece divided into three sections: In the first there are three divisions and in the middle there are four round images and on the sides two paintings on tables; in the second section, a bulk image of San Blas and on the sides four paintings of his martyrdom, and in the 3rd and last body a painting of San Gregorio, saying mass.
A whole memory of what this temple of San Martín was in its best days!

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Parish of San Andrés de Segovia 2022. Website designed by Manu Rodrigo

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