Church of Our Lady of the Mayor in Soria
The Iglesia Nuestra Senora de la Mayor is a church that has a long and interesting history. It was built on the site of a former Romanesque church from the 12th century, dedicated to St. Giles, from which some elements have been preserved, such as the portico, the apsidiole, the tomb, and part of the tower. In the 16th century, when work was underway in the collegiate church, this church served as a meeting place for the chapter and changed its invocation to Nuestra Senora de la Mayor. In the 19th century, due to the risk of collapse, the church was thoroughly rebuilt, giving it its current shape.
The church has three naves of the same height, with the side ones covered with a barrel vault, and the main one with a cross. In the presbytery, there is a beautiful dome with a rib, supported on four trompes. The interior is bright and spacious, with valuable works of art, such as a Romanesque crucifix from the 13th century, called Cristo del Olvido or Cillerero, which is located in the choir made of walnut wood from the 16th century.
In the transept, you can admire another crucifix from the 17th century, by Manuel Pereira, called Cristo del Perdón. It is also worth noting the main altar from the 16th century, in the Plateresque style, the work of Francisco de Ágreda and Juan de Baltanás, as well as paintings from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, such as the Savior’s Table, attributed to Palma the Younger.
From the outside, the church impresses with its Romanesque portal with three arcades, supported on capitals with plant and animal decoration. On the tower, which is a remnant of the former castle, there is the oldest known coat of arms of Soria, engraved on a bell from the 12th century. This church is particularly associated with the figure of Antonio Machado, who married Leonor Izquierdo here in 1909, and three years later bid her farewell at her funeral.
Next to the church’s facade, there is a bronze sculpture depicting Leonor, the work of Ricardo González Gil from 2012. The church is open to visitors every day during mass hours, and admission is free. It is certainly one of the places worth visiting to learn about the history and culture of this city.
