Iglesia de San Juan Bautista

The Church of San Juan Bautista was founded after the Christian conquest of Marchena and may be linked to the presence of the order of San Juan in the town, documented since the 13th century. All that remains from this original period is the chapel that stands under the tower.

From 1490 the three central naves, the tower and the triple sanctuary were built. The three naves are covered with splendid Mudejar coffering. In 1550 the two lateral naves housing the chapels were added. It was founded by Rodrigo Ponce de León and the Pacheco family, as revealed in his will and the heraldry that presides over the triumphal arch in the presbytery. The church is in Gothic-Mudejar style with alterations and additions performed in the 17th and 18th centuries. In the 1990s, the church underwent major restoration.

The interior holds a major collection of sacred art, the work of the most significant and prestigious artists from each era: Francisco de Zurbarán (the Sacristy collection, with nine paintings from 1637, commissioned from the artist in 1634), Pedro de Mena (Inmaculada 1688), Jorge and Alejo Fernández (Gothic main altarpiece 1521-1533), Roque Balduque (Altarpiece of the Sagrario 1556), Francisco de Alfaro (Custodia Procesional 1575-1579), Jerónimo de Balbás and Juan de Valencia (Baroque Choir 1714-1717), Cristóbal de Morales…