Arquitectura renacentista de esquema central: Jerónimo Quijano y su entorno

Throughout History, many large burial chapels (religious or memorial) with centralized floor plan and independent character have arisen. Jerónimo Quijano, Renaissance Spanish architect, posited certain dual approach; on the one hand, the Renaissance ideal of central scheme and, on the other hand, the direct integration of the duo header-nave without added interstitial element. In this scope, two clear examples of the evolution of Quijano’s architectural proposal in the ancient Cartagena Diocese’s nucleus have been selected:

The collegiate church of San Patricio in Lorca, Murcia: an original project (in pursuit of an autonomous central scheme) is a Renaissance monumental temple whose apse has a ‘visual and radial permeability’ towards its ambulatory, the final alteration of its centrality and the modification of the morphology of its apse in order to connect it to the nave transept and therefore articulating the constructive elements of both bodies; thereby ensuring their architectural integration.

The Santiago’s parish church in Jumilla, Murcia: entails the full integration (composite floor plan) between a traditional Christian Gothic nave and a renaissance header of three-lobed central plan. Centrality focuses on its header, which in turn contains the transept.

As references to Quijano´s architectural approach in his Hispanic environment, it should reflect upon certain reminiscences to Renaissance works in Eastern Andalusia, his direct influence in the Government of Orihuela and subsequently some of his possible influences in the Valencian territory.