Church of San Juan de Rabanera in Soria

The Iglesia de San Juan de Rabanera is one of the most beautiful Romanesque monuments in Soria. It was built at the end of the 12th century and is dedicated to St. John, the patron saint of the city. Its name comes from the town of Rabanera del Campo, from where the first settlers who settled this part of the city came.




From the outside, the church impresses with its magnificent presbytery, which is divided into four parts by pilasters with plant capitals. In the two central parts, there are windows with Romanesque arches, and in the sides – double blind arcades with reliefs of geometric and floral motifs. The interior of the presbytery is covered with a richly decorated dome with a rib, which rests on four conical trompes.




The interior of the church is bright and harmonious, with one nave and a transept of the same height. In the main altar, there is an impressive Romanesque crucifix from the 12th century, called Cristo del Olvido or Cillerero, which comes from the former San Polo monastery. In the transept, there is another crucifix from the 17th century, attributed to Manuel Pereira, called Cristo del Perdón.




It is worth noting the Plateresque retable from the 16th century, the work of the sculptor Francisco de Ágreda and the painter Juan de Baltanás, as well as paintings from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, such as the Savior’s Table, attributed to Palma the Younger.




The Church of San Juan de Rabanera is not only an artistic monument but also a place of worship and tradition. Here, ceremonies related to the fiesta de San Juan take place, such as the procession with sticks and the offering of flowers.




Here is also the seat of the brotherhood La Banda de Música, which has been accompanying the inhabitants of Soria in their holidays and celebrations for over a hundred years. The church is open to visitors every day during mass hours, and admission is free. It is certainly one of the places worth visiting during your stay in Soria.