The Basilica of San Francisco el Grande, is a historic Catholic church located in an area known as the Barrio de Palacio, in the historic downtown center of Madrid, the capital and largest city in Spain. The church is situated on the western side of the Plaza de San Francisco, at the intersection of Calle Bailen, the Gran Via de San Francisco and Carretera de San Francisco. It is considered part of the Franciscan convent of Jesus and Mary, founded in the early 13th century, on a defunct chapel dedicated to Saint Mary.
The Basilica de San Francisco el Grande is part of the “Pious Works of the Holy Places of Jerusalem, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. By a Royal Decree, the church was declared a National Monument on October 19, 1980, and thus received the designation of being a Cultural Site of Interest in Spain.
A Franciscan convent chapel once stood where the Iglesia de San Francisco el Grande now stands, a chapel that according to local legend was founded by St. Francis the Great himself in 1217. In 1760, under the direction of King Carlos III, the chapel was demolished by the Franciscans to make way for a larger church, a church originally designed by Francisco Cabezas, with help from developer Antonio PLO. However, due to technical complications, progress on the construction was very slow and the project was halted on several occasions. In 1776, the friars, hoping to resurrect the project, asked the King of Spain to enlist the services of Francisco Sabatini, an architect who had also created the Royal Palace. The King agreed, and plans went forward with the church under the direction of Sabatini and his assistant technical adviser, Miguel Fernandez. Finally, in 1784, the church was completed and inaugurated by the King.
Like most large structures in the latter half of the 18th century, the Iglesia de San Francisco el Grande was built in the neoclassical style. The church has a unique rounded floor plan, covered by the largest dome in Spain, at 108 feet in diameter, a size that even eclipses that of the renowned Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London, England. The complex incorporates three chapels, including the Chapel of San Bernardino de Siena, which, among other stunning pieces of art, contains a magnificent painting of the saint by Spain’s Francisco Goya.
The Basilica de San Francisco el Grande has seven main doors, each carved from American walnut by Casa Juan Gras in the 16th century. The façade is dominated by two large towers, one at each end and slightly recessed. Within the spires of the two towers—towers which are framed on each side by pilasters—there are a total of 19 bells, eight in the South Tower and the remaining 11 in the North Tower.
The interior of the Basilica de San Francisco el Grande is equally as impressive as the exterior. The lobby contains seven main walnut gateways that allow entrance to the premises, and the many reliefs there include a representation of Christ being crucified, flanked on each side by the two thieves of Calvary, and with the words Faith and Hope carved at the bottom. There is also a museum featuring many impressive works of art, the most valuable being the Spanish and Italian baroque paintings known as St. Jerome, by Francisco Ribalta; San Buenaventura were visited by St. Thomas Aquinas, by Francisco de Zurbarán; Pope knelt and scenes background, by Vicente Carducho; San Antonio de Padua, by Alonso Cano; Jesus and the Samarita, by Artemisia Gentileschi; and The Descent, by Luis Tristan.
If you want to visit the Basilica de San Francisco el Grande, it is located at Pl. de San Francisco, in Madrid, Spain. Tours of the church are offered Tuesday through Friday from 11 AM-12:30 PM and from 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM. Saturday tours are also available from 11 AM to 12 PM. The cost is €3, which includes a guided tour of the complex.
