Románico Zamora

Church of San Isidoro

12th century

This church of “San Isidoro” (St. Isidore), is also known as the “El Carmen del Castillo” as hosting of this brotherhood since 1688.

It was built in 1178 within the first walled enclosure of the city and its construction is attributed to “Doña Sancha”, daughter of King Alfonso, who ordered that the remains of St. Isidore were taken from Seville to Leon.

The church has a nave and a main chapel and its ground plan is square.

Concerning external decoration, it has a checkered cornice over anthropomorphic, zoomorphic and geometric-shape modillions. The northern doorway has three simple archivolts over an impost typical of Zamora. All these elements correspond to Romanesque. The over-hanging eaves and the impost typical of Zamora over the pyramid-shaped modillions, which are the same as those of the Cathedral, as well as plant-decorated capitals located on the windows, and the four archivolts with impost of Zamora, belong to Late-Romanesque period.

Outside, the church is reinforced with rectangular buttresses, and can be seen scotia cornices over modillions similar to those found in the Cathedral, and trumpet-shaped windows at the front. At the ending sections of the nave, the openings were renovated by works undertaken during the 18th century. In turn, the belfry and the niche of the head wall, which is a typical architectural solution of the province of Zamora, belong also to this period.

Inside, the triumphal arch is supported by two capitals and there is a remarkable sepulchre. It dates form Late-Romanesque of early 13th century, and it can be found in the inner northern wall of the apse. Its lintel is decorated with thurifer angels, pigeons and lions framed by multifoil small arches. This lintel rests on two small Gothic pillars.

Exterior de la Iglesia de San Isidoro

Interior de la Iglesia de San Isidoro

En el interior, el arco triunfal apea sobre dos capiteles acastillados y es destacable también el sepulcro tardorrománico de principios del siglo XIII, que se encuentra en el muro norte interior del ábside. EL dintel está decorado con ángeles turiferarios, palomas y leones enmarcados por arquillos polilobulados. Dicho dintel se apoya en dos haces de columnillas de gusto protogótico.

ADDRESS

This church is located in San Isidro Square, near the Cathedral.

To view the entire route from your position to the monument, you can click on the Google icon located on the lower left corner of the map.

OPENING HOURS AND VISITS

Winter timetable (from 1st October until 4th March):
Monday and from Wednesday to Sunday: from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:30 to 18:30.
Closed on Tuesday.

Summer timetable (from 5th March until 30th September):
Monday and from Wednesday to Sunday: from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00.
Closed on Tuesday.

GENERAL INTEREST SERVICES

Tourist offices: 

- Local tourist office: It is located at 5, Arias Gonzalo Square. Tel. +34 980 533 694

- Castilla y León tourist office: It is located at 1, Príncipe de Asturias Avenue. Tel. +34 980 531 845

- Provincial tourist office: It is located at Viriato Square. Tel. +34 980 534 047

Local police: Tel. +34 980 531 245

Civil Guard (police with responsibilities outside towns): Tel. +34 980 521 100

Emergency telephone numbers: 112

- Virgen de la Concha (Hospital): Tel. +34 980 548 212

Bus station: Tel. +34 980 521 281

Train station: Tel. +34 980 521 110

Taxi: Tel. +34 630 630 630 

Civil defence: Tel. +34 980 536 190