Church of Santo Cristo de la Salud, Málaga, Baroque Catholic church in central Málaga, Spain.
The Church of Santo Cristo de la Salud is a baroque building in the old town of Málaga, built on an octagonal floor plan and topped by a cupola that defines its roofline. Inside, the walls and vaults are covered with elaborate stucco work and ornamental details.
The church grew out of a Jesuit college established after a bishop donated land in 1572. Over the following centuries, the building was expanded with additional spaces and a chapel that shaped its present form.
The name of this church comes from reported healings during a plague epidemic in the 17th century, which turned the building into a place of popular devotion. Locals still come to pray before the image of Christ that gives the church its name.
The church sits in the narrow streets of the old town and is easy to reach on foot from the city center. Religious services are held regularly, so it is worth planning a visit outside of main prayer times to see the interior freely.
The altar holds sculptures from the Seville School dating to the 17th century, made by craftsmen from what was then the leading tradition of religious sculpture in Spain. A noted architect added a chapel at the end of the 18th century without altering the original octagonal layout.
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