NEW CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY OF ARRABAL
20 minutes
The New Church of Arrabal, consecrated to the Holy Trinity, was built in the 1950s by the architect Genaro de No, replacing the old church of the Arrabal neighborhood, which was in an advanced state of deterioration. Its interior notably features the apse, adorned with an imposing mural painted by Genaro de No Soler, the architect's son. However, in 2006, due to the poor condition of the temple, worship was moved back to the Old Church of Arrabal, which had just been restored. From this church departs the procession of the Brotherhood of Love and Peace, one of the most awe-inspiring of Salamanca's Holy Week. Its route offers an unforgettable scene: the silhouette of the old city as a backdrop.
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Free visit price
- Individual - 0.00 €
The New Church of the Holy Trinity of Arrabal is located on the left bank of the Tormes River, between the Roman Bridge and the Enrique Estevan Bridge. Its construction responded to Salamanca's urban expansion south of the Tormes, with the aim of offering religious service to the neighborhoods of Arrabal, Teso de la Feria, and La Vega.
The temple was designed and built in the 1950s by the Salamancan architect Genaro de No Hernández (1893–1978). Its architectural style falls within the Herrerian classicism characteristic of the post-war period, also present in other civil works by the author in Salamanca, such as the former Faculty of Law, the extensions of San Bartolomé College (Bartolo), and the Seminary. In all of them, Genaro de No used Villamayor stone and paid special attention to ornamental details.
In the case of this church, several elements of the façade clearly evoke the Church of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Particularly noteworthy are the upper body of the towers, their domes and lanterns, as well as the triangular pediment, all of Escurialense inspiration. Inside, the main chapel houses an impressive mural created by Genaro de No Soler, the architect's son.
The church was deconsecrated in 2006 due to the advanced deterioration of the building and the construction of roads in its vicinity that isolated it from the neighborhoods it originally served. Worship was transferred back to the Old Church of Arrabal, which had recently been restored at that time.
The building, currently municipal property, was subject in 2011 to a significant structural intervention to waterproof the roofs. The interior is closed to the public.
The temple was designed and built in the 1950s by the Salamancan architect Genaro de No Hernández (1893–1978). Its architectural style falls within the Herrerian classicism characteristic of the post-war period, also present in other civil works by the author in Salamanca, such as the former Faculty of Law, the extensions of San Bartolomé College (Bartolo), and the Seminary. In all of them, Genaro de No used Villamayor stone and paid special attention to ornamental details.
In the case of this church, several elements of the façade clearly evoke the Church of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Particularly noteworthy are the upper body of the towers, their domes and lanterns, as well as the triangular pediment, all of Escurialense inspiration. Inside, the main chapel houses an impressive mural created by Genaro de No Soler, the architect's son.
The church was deconsecrated in 2006 due to the advanced deterioration of the building and the construction of roads in its vicinity that isolated it from the neighborhoods it originally served. Worship was transferred back to the Old Church of Arrabal, which had recently been restored at that time.
The building, currently municipal property, was subject in 2011 to a significant structural intervention to waterproof the roofs. The interior is closed to the public.
In the vicinity, there are numerous points of interest, including:
• Old Church of Arrabal (Holy Trinity)
• Roman Bridge
• Roman Bridge Viewpoint
• Pier Viewpoint
• Enrique Estevan Bridge
• Extensive green areas
• Old Church of Arrabal (Holy Trinity)
• Roman Bridge
• Roman Bridge Viewpoint
• Pier Viewpoint
• Enrique Estevan Bridge
• Extensive green areas
The church, designed by architect Genaro de No Sánchez, was built in the 1950s with Villamayor sandstone. It features three naves, with the central one being higher, and a main apse with a polygonal head, while the lateral ones are straight.
The main facade, located at the foot of the temple, is flanked by two square towers with three sections. The uppermost level features semicircular arches on each face and is crowned by hemispherical domes with lanterns and pyramidal finials, evoking the Escurial style. The entrance, sober and lintelled, is decorated with plain pilasters and a Trinitarian cross on the lintel, one of the few ornamental elements on the exterior. On the south side extends a garden reminiscent of ancient medieval cloisters, with a gallery of semicircular arches and the parish house completing the perimeter.
The interior is articulated into three naves separated by arches resting on pillars decorated with recessed pilasters and Corinthian capitals. The apse is adorned with an impressive painted mural, created by Genaro de No Soler. In the New Church of Arrabal, the artist presents a very personal interpretation of the Holy Trinity. The composition is set in a stony environment, marked by powerful verticality, where the main figures emerge as if sprouting from the bowels of the earth. At the top, a seated God the Father, surprisingly youthful, holds the Son in his lap. Both appear suspended in the air, supported by the figure of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. At the heart of the composition, an ascending Virgin, accompanied by the apostles, establishes the visual axis that connects with the Trinitarian scene. Around her, episodes from the life of Jesus unfold, among which large crosses evoking the Way of the Cross stand out. The human figures, integrated among stone blocks, seem to blend with the surroundings, sharing their verticality and the geometry of edges and folds also reflected in their vestments. Bluish and gray tones predominate in the stone, which serves as a backdrop for this sacred narrative, extending to both sides of the apse.
The main facade, located at the foot of the temple, is flanked by two square towers with three sections. The uppermost level features semicircular arches on each face and is crowned by hemispherical domes with lanterns and pyramidal finials, evoking the Escurial style. The entrance, sober and lintelled, is decorated with plain pilasters and a Trinitarian cross on the lintel, one of the few ornamental elements on the exterior. On the south side extends a garden reminiscent of ancient medieval cloisters, with a gallery of semicircular arches and the parish house completing the perimeter.
The interior is articulated into three naves separated by arches resting on pillars decorated with recessed pilasters and Corinthian capitals. The apse is adorned with an impressive painted mural, created by Genaro de No Soler. In the New Church of Arrabal, the artist presents a very personal interpretation of the Holy Trinity. The composition is set in a stony environment, marked by powerful verticality, where the main figures emerge as if sprouting from the bowels of the earth. At the top, a seated God the Father, surprisingly youthful, holds the Son in his lap. Both appear suspended in the air, supported by the figure of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. At the heart of the composition, an ascending Virgin, accompanied by the apostles, establishes the visual axis that connects with the Trinitarian scene. Around her, episodes from the life of Jesus unfold, among which large crosses evoking the Way of the Cross stand out. The human figures, integrated among stone blocks, seem to blend with the surroundings, sharing their verticality and the geometry of edges and folds also reflected in their vestments. Bluish and gray tones predominate in the stone, which serves as a backdrop for this sacred narrative, extending to both sides of the apse.