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Iglesia de San Ginés

The church of San Ginés, on Calle del Arenal, is one of the oldest parishes in Madrid: the first documentary reference dates from 1156 and it already existed as such in 1358. The current Baroque-plan church was rebuilt in the mid-17th century on top of the earlier one, with plans attributed to Juan Ruiz. A fire destroyed the north façade in 1870 and it was rebuilt between 1870 and 1872 in brick and stone. The interior, with three naves and side chapels, was damaged during the Civil War and restored afterwards. In the chapel on the south-west side, behind doors that open only on Saturdays from 11:30 to 12:00, is kept El Greco's canvas «The Expulsion of the Moneychangers from the Temple», painted around 1600-1610. The parish also preserves a fallen Christ attributed to the Neapolitan sculptor Nicola Fumo and numerous chapels dedicated to various Marian devotions. It adjoins the Chocolatería San Ginés, although it is part of a separate building with its own entrance on Calle del Arenal.

Things to do at Iglesia de San Ginés: 3 missions

• See El Greco's painting in its only time slotGo on a Saturday between 11:30 and 12:00, the only half hour a week when the doors protecting El Greco's «The Expulsion of the Moneychangers from the Temple» are opened, in the south-west chapel.
• Find Nicola Fumo's fallen ChristLook in one of the chapels for the Baroque carving of the fallen Christ attributed to the Neapolitan sculptor Nicola Fumo.
• Compare the rebuilt façade with the rest of the churchLook at the north façade, in brick and stone, rebuilt between 1870 and 1872 after a fire, and compare it with the rest of the building, of 17th-century Baroque origin.

Near Iglesia de San Ginés

Source: esmadrid.com — Ayuntamiento de Madrid