Sant Martí de Calonge, Church building in Calonge, Spain.
Sant Martí de Calonge is a single-nave church with eight interconnected side chapels that read as two lateral naves; two elongated chapels form a transept, the left one dedicated to the Mare de Déu del Roser. The polygonal apse is covered by a barrel vault with lunettes, and the east-facing facade has an elegant doorway. A square bell tower with Romanesque structure rises on the south side, and a wooden screen protects the entrance.
The church was consecrated on 12 September 1423 by Bishop Andreu Bertran, who the next day consecrated the main altar and the cemetery. In the 18th century, prosperity allowed a new church to be built: the main door is dated 1767, the small door 1740, and the sacristy window 1763, by Joan Aguilà of Arbúcies. The Romanesque central and north naves were demolished to create a single wide nave. In 1936 the church was destroyed and a Neoclassical altarpiece by Josep Barnoya Vinyals (1802–1808) disappeared, replaced by a work by Ramon Reig in 1940.
The church keeps the name of Sant Martí, and its eight side chapels are linked so that they read as two lateral naves; the left one is dedicated to the Mare de Déu del Roser. The upper bell-tower storey and the Roser chapel were added after the main Baroque work. Inside, eight-century grisailles in the central nave show the four Evangelists with their attributes.
The church stands in the old centre of Calonge, in the Baix Empordà. The main door faces east and carries the date 1767; the small door is dated 1740 and the sacristy window 1763. The bell tower rises on the south side, and a wooden screen protects the entrance.
The bell tower retains Romanesque features from its original construction and bears marks of its past role as a medieval defensive structure. This dual function was common for churches in this region, which served both spiritual and protective purposes.
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