Plaza de la Compañía

The square took shape with the arrival of the Society of Jesus in Córdoba, in the mid-16th century. Work on the college of Santa Catalina, the first Jesuit institution in Andalusia, began in 1554, and work on its church began in 1564. The church was roofed and its main façade completed in 1585, by Francisco de Villalpando, and the works were declared finished in 1588.

In 1736 the Triumph of Saint Raphael was erected in the centre of the square, one of the first the city had dedicated to Córdoba's patron, paid for with alms collected by the Jesuit father Juan de Santiago.

After the expulsion of the Jesuits from the city in 1767, the church became a parish, merging those of Santo Domingo de Silos and El Salvador, hence its current official name. The square as it is known today already appears drawn on the French plan of 1811, defined by the outlines of the buildings around it.

Besides the church, the square brings together several buildings that were part of the former Jesuit complex and today have very different uses.

Popularly known as the church of La Compañía, it follows the typical plan of Jesuit churches: a single nave covered with a barrel vault and lunettes, and a transept topped by a dome on pendentives. It keeps paintings by Pablo de Céspedes and a sculpture by Duque Cornejo on the high altar.

Erected in 1736 with the alms collected by Father Juan de Santiago, it was one of the first monuments dedicated to the city's patron.

Around the square survive the Reales Escuelas Pías, in the building of the former college of Santa Catalina, and the current Provincial Historical Archive, housed in what was the Church of Santo Domingo de Silos. A short distance away is also the Church of Santa Victoria, a rare example of neoclassical style in Córdoba, from the late 18th century.

The square is a public space with no opening hours or ticket. The church remains an active parish, so access to the interior depends on its worship hours.

The square is in the heart of the historic centre, a short walk from both Plaza de las Tendillas and the Roman Temple, along Calle Claudio Marcelo.

It is a pedestrian area, so it is best to leave the car in one of the city-centre car parks, such as the one on Avenida de la Libertad.

Plaza de la Compañía combines easily with a visit to the nearby Roman Temple or a stroll to Plaza de las Tendillas, to which it is connected by Calle Claudio Marcelo. Being a small square with little mass tourism, it is a quiet stop for mid-morning.