Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás)
On Saraste alley is one of the oldest buildings in the city, the Church of St. Nicholas (on the map).
![Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás) Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás)](https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/16155/26384437.381/0_d8000_6ea217eb_XXXL.jpg)
The temple is named after the medieval settlement of San Nicolas, one of the small independent settlements surrounding Pamplona.
![Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás) Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás)](https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/15511/26384437.382/0_d8018_c1ca4698_XXXL.jpg)
Originally, there was a Romanesque Church on this site, which was not only a religious institution, but also a defensive structure. The religious institution served as a hotbed of defense against the raids of the neighboring towns of Navarreria and San Saturnino, which were constantly at war with each other at the beginning of the second Millennium.
![Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás) Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás)](https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/16143/26384437.381/0_d8017_5e1527d7_XXXL.jpg)
In 1222, during another civil war, the old Church burned down, and in its place was built a new one, consecrated in 1231. The structure looked more like a fortress, had thick walls with loophole Windows, and three corners were watchtowers. The rooms are decorated in a Gothic style.
![Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás) Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás)](https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/15544/26384437.381/0_d8001_5f8875b0_XXL.jpg)
In the 19th century, the appearance of the temple changed significantly - neo-Gothic porticos appeared on the Western and Northern sides, and the facade facing Saraste alley was made in the style of medieval eclecticism. The reconstruction was led by Angel Goicoechea.
![Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás) Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás)](https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/15562/26384437.382/0_d8015_af84c187_XL.jpg)
![Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás) Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás)](https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/15519/26384437.382/0_d8019_8e75f85e_XXXL.jpg)
Today you can see only one of the watchtowers, the rest were dismantled for building materials when the need for them disappeared.
![Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás) Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás)](https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/15548/26384437.381/0_d8002_5f4a82f8_XL.jpg)
The surviving tower served as the basis for the bell tower, which was added in 1924. The author of the project is the architect Jose Martinez de Ubago.
![Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás) Pamplona. The Church of St. Nicholas (Iglesia de San Nicolás)](https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/15565/26384437.382/0_d8016_4a8bb752_XL.jpg)