The Church of San Cosme and San Damián is a monument of great historical and cultural importance. This Gothic building was constructed in the late 14th and early 15th centuries upon an earlier church. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the church underwent numerous reforms and additions, which shaped its current configuration.
The Exterior of the Church of San Cosme and San Damián
The main facade, completed in 1655, houses the stone sculptures of San Cosme and San Damián, the saintly physician brothers and patrons of the town and the church. These sculptures were carved by Sebastián López de Frías. The Baroque facade was executed by the master craftsmen Simón Cordero and Esteban Iturriaga. The entrance is protected by a beautifully adorned arch.
The entrance of the Church of San Cosme and San Damián follows a characteristic design by Juan de Vallejo, commissioned in 1552. It features a scheme of a triumphal half-point arch with medallions of Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist in the spandrels, and slender fluted columns with intricately carved inner thirds.
Above this, there is a panel depicting the Calvary, crowned by the figure of God the Father, and flanked by the figures of San Cosme and San Damián, also in relief, martyrs of the 4th century.
The Interior of the Church
The interior of the church features a basilica plan with a transept. It showcases ribbed vaults with tierceron and star patterns. The presbytery is presided over by a grand Baroque altarpiece, executed in 1663 by the joiner Policarpo de la Nestosa and sculptors Juan de Pobes, Clemente de la Quintana, and Juan de los Helgueros.
The Church of San Cosme and San Damián is the headquarters of the Illustrious Archconfraternity of the Blessed Sacrament and Jesus Carrying the Cross. This brotherhood is one of the oldest and most revered in the city, and its presence in the parish adds an additional dimension of devotion and tradition to this historic temple.
The side altarpieces of the Immaculate Conception (Gospel nave) and Saint Joseph (Epistle nave) were also created by these same masters, although the latter sculpture is later than the main altarpiece.
Gospel Nave
In the Gospel nave stands the tomb of the renowned Burgos ironworker Cristóbal de Andino and his wife Catalina de Frías, who passed away in 1543 and whom he himself designed. The church also preserves other artworks of interest, such as a Renaissance choir stalls from the former Abbey of San Quirce and a Romanesque-style altarpiece from the early 17th century.
The Sacristy
The sacristy was constructed by Juan de Arronte around 1740, and six years later, master craftsman Santiago del Amo installed the cabinetry, which is one of the most beautiful in the province of Burgos.
The Main Altarpiece
The Main Altarpiece is a striking Baroque ensemble, adorned with gold and polychrome, created between 1663 and 1675 by Policarpo de la Nestosa. In a pre-Churrigueresque Baroque style, its decoration increases in an ascending manner. It consists of three main parts.
The lower part, or base: It features bas-reliefs of St. Gregory (left) and St. Ambrose (right). The main body: It has three sections, each framed by two Solomonic columns.
In the center, there are the sculpture-reliquaries of St. Cosme and St. Damian, holding the palm branches of martyrdom and the typical symbols of medicine. On the sides, there are sculptures of St. Peter and St. Paul. Above these, there are two reliefs depicting the Annunciation and the Visitation. Finally, the upper part, in a shell-like shape: In the center, there is the Assumption, flanked by St. Michael and St. Raphael. On the left and right sides, there are the four evangelists, and above them, a multitude of angels playing musical instruments. All of this is crowned by a semicircular arch in the form of a garland of leaves.
In conclusion, the Church of San Cosme and San Damian is a monument of great historical and cultural importance in the city of Burgos. Its architecture, combining elements of Late Gothic and Renaissance styles, along with its rich interior decoration and its role as the seat of an ancient brotherhood, make it a must-visit for anyone interested in the history and culture of Burgos.
