In this blog, we have started a series of posts featuring the best churches in each province, excluding their capitals, which have no shortage of remarkable sites: Huelva, Seville, Jaén… And the same is true of Córdoba: in the city there are churches of enormous value and beauty, such as the so-called “Fernandine” churches. But if we explore the rest of the province, the surprises are equally positive. So here we show you some of the best churches in the province of Córdoba.
Parish Church of St John the Baptist, in Hinojosa del Duque
We begin this list of the best churches in the province of Córdoba with this one, located in Hinojosa del Duque, in Los Pedroches. Its construction is attributed to Hernán Ruiz the Elder and Hernán Ruiz the Younger, in a Plateresque Renaissance style, with imposing granite ashlar blocks throughout the building.
Although this is its official name, it is more popularly known as the “cathedral of the sierra”. It is not an episcopal seat, but this temple is so imposing that, in the eyes of visitors, it truly resembles a cathedral.
Church of the Assumption, in Priego de Córdoba
From the outside, no one could imagine the spectacle inside this church: although it is beautiful and pristine, this temple fully deserves its place on this list of the best churches in Córdoba thanks to its spectacular 18th-century Baroque vault. The exterior structure is in a late Gothic-Mudéjar style from the 16th century. In addition, two other notable features are the Renaissance door of Santa Ana and a Christ attributed to Alonso de Mena, from the 17th century.
Sanctuary of Araceli, in Lucena
One of the images most venerated by Catholics in Córdoba is, without a doubt, Our Lady of Araceli. And her sanctuary, located in the municipality of Lucena, also deserves to be on this list of the best churches in the province of Córdoba… although it is not exactly a church, but rather a hermitage chapel. Set on a hill with magnificent views, its most outstanding feature is the central vault, a true Baroque apotheosis of flowers and angels.
Church of Santa Clara, in Palma del Río
In this town, watered by the Guadalquivir River, the most monumental space is its Plaza Mayor, or Plaza de Andalucía, alongside its Almohad walls and the Portocarrero Palace. But the Archpriestal parish of Our Lady of the Assumption—better known as the Church of Santa Clara due to the nearby convent—also stands out in its own right. Its spectacular tower can be seen from many points, topped by a colourful belfry where storks often nest.
Church of San Bartolomé, in Montoro
Although we have included it last on this list of the best churches in the province of Córdoba, that does not mean it is the least interesting—far from it. On the contrary, it is one of the most beautiful, for many reasons. It is another of the most representative works by the architect Hernán Ruiz the Elder, so its Renaissance lines are evident, especially in the main portal. Its colour is striking at first glance, as it uses molinaza stone, typical of this area of the Upper Guadalquivir region. Inside, its beautiful Gothic-Mudéjar wooden coffered ceiling stands out, lending an exotic touch to the whole.
