The church of Saint Martin of Tours is an outstanding example of the religious heritage of the province of Palencia. Its construction combines stone and adobe, a characteristic feature of the traditional architecture of the area.
One of its most striking elements is the portico, with its 16th century wooden coffered ceiling. Inside, the church has a single nave, with a main altar framed by another magnificent wooden coffered ceiling.
But without doubt the great jewel of this temple is its impressive main altarpiece. Recently restored, this 16th-century masterpiece in the Plateresque style is characterised by its rich ornamentation and meticulous wood carving. It is the work of two outstanding artists with workshops in Palencia: the sculptor Francisco Giralte, a disciple of the brilliant Alonso Berruguete, and Juan de Villoldo, the painter who perhaps most directly followed the style of Berruguete.
The altarpiece is organised in three vertical sections, divided into three panels. The central part is flanked by two panel joints and an attic with a sculpture of Christ crucified. The structure features exceptional carvings of saints and religious figures: Saint Peter, Saint Sebastian, Saint Catherine, Saint Paul, Saint Mary Magdalene and Saint Gregory the Great. In addition, two 16th-century sculptures flank the altarpiece: an impressive image of the Virgin and Child and a triple representation of Saint Anne, showing the saint with the Virgin Mary and the Baby Jesus.
Painting also plays a fundamental role in this work. Juan de Villoldo created a series of oil paintings on wood that narrate religious scenes with great detail and expressiveness. At the top of the altarpiece, a majestic figure of God the Father and Creator presides over the composition.
In the lower part, known as the lower plinth or predella, we find representations of the Agony in the Garden and the Arrest of Christ. In the first section, the side panels show the Mass of St Gregory and the Vision of Hell, while the second section depicts the Appearance of the Risen Christ to St Martin and a Christ in Glory.
In addition to this imposing work, the church houses other altarpieces of great value. One baroque altarpiece with a painting of the Souls in Purgatory, dated 1766, is particularly noteworthy, as is another from the 17th century containing a magnificent Calvary, also the work of Francisco Giralte.
The church of Saint Martin of Tours is, without doubt, a place where sculpture, painting and architecture combine to offer an exceptional testimony to religious art in Castile.
