The Church of San Lorenzo, one of the outstanding Ferdinandine or conquest churches of Cordoba, began to be built between the end of the 13th and the beginning of the 14th century. These churches were erected after the conquest of the city by Ferdinand III in 1236, in order to organise the new city administratively.
There is a tradition that these churches were built on top of ancient mosques. In the case of San Lorenzo, the pre-existence of a Caliphate mosque of al-Mugira has been confirmed, whose original 10th-century minaret can still be seen integrated into the interior of the church.
A fire in 1687 destroyed the original roof, which was not restored to its medieval appearance until 1956, when later vaults were demolished and the plastering removed.
The iconic façade of San Lorenzo is notable for its portico, a splendid rose window and its tower. The latter, the work of Hernán Ruiz el Joven, completed in 1555, is an original construction that mixes styles, with two turned bodies and a third circular one that houses the image of the titular saint.
The interior is notable for its wide central nave, supported by large pointed arches, which are evidence of the mastery of the medieval stonemasons. The main altar is presided over by a Baroque image of San Lorenzo. The discovery of 14th century Italo-Gothic paintings in the apse of the central nave led to the transfer of the 17th century high altarpiece to the Sagrario chapel. In the chancel, an 18th century Baroque altarpiece displays the image of Nuestro Padre Jesús del Calvario, a carving by Fray Juan de la Concepción (1723), an icon of Cordoba’s Holy Week.
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