Oratorio de la Santa Cueva, Catholic oratory in central Cádiz, Spain
The Oratorio de la Santa Cueva is a neoclassical building with two distinct areas: a bright upper chapel featuring rich decoration and an underground lower chapel with minimal embellishment. The upper chapel contains paintings by Goya, while the lower chamber houses a marble calvary sculpture.
The chapel was founded in 1771 and designed by architects Torcuato Cayón and Torcuato Benjumeda as a sacred devotional space. The Goya paintings arrived later and added to the site's historical importance over time.
The upper chapel displays three significant paintings by Francisco de Goya, including The Last Supper, which shape the spiritual experience of the place. These works are central to what visitors encounter when experiencing this site.
The site is accessible and allows visitors to explore both chapel areas, starting with the upper level and its artwork. The underground chapel requires going down some stairs, but the contrast between the two spaces makes the entire experience worthwhile.
Joseph Haydn composed The Seven Last Words of Christ specifically for this space, creating a musical masterpiece for the sacred setting. This link between musical history and the sacred room remains tangible for visitors today.
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