Salamanca - San Agustín

The most splendid historical monument to the Colonial period of Salamanca is the church of San Agustín, work on which began in 1615. This tall and relatively narrow building, inconspicuously situated, has a simple façade. Severe columns, embellished with hollow spiral mouldings, flank the entrance. The positioning of the crucifix on the top of the façade beneath a conche is unusual.

The interior of the church is almost completely covered with painted and gilded panelling. Strong Moorish influence (Mudéjar) is apparent in the gilded wooden ornamentation of the dome and the wooden choir railings. The side altar of San Nicolás de Tolentino artistically portrays the life story of this 14th c. friar; the form of the net-shaped background is masterly. The high altar was replaced in 1832 by a Neo-Classical work.

Two further magnificent side altars, dedicated to St Joseph and St Anne, have been preserved unaltered. These two altars are magnificent examples of the Churrigueresque style. In contrast to the relatively flat moulding of the altars in the nave, the emphasis here is on a particularly vivid portrayal of the almost life-size figures of the saints.