Crafts Hall – Church of La Magdalena

The hall is located on an archaeological site where the Church of La Magdalena is located, which can now be visited.

The complex houses a centre for the promotion of Extremaduran crafts, which brings together, for sale and exhibition, objects made of ceramics, leather, cork and metal, among others. The hall belongs to a network of craft centres run by Artesanex located in Cáceres, Badajoz, Llerena and Villafranca de los Barros. Here we find a bakery dating from the 19th century, called “de los Bocanegra”, which consists of an oven of magnificent dimensions that was active until 1975. You can visit a Mozarabic silo, 1.40 metres deep, with ceramic remains from the 9th century.

The church of La Magdalena is the oldest in Plasencia. It has Mozarabic burials from the 9th century. The new Romanesque church was built over the remains of this hermitage in the 12th century, when Plasencia was already founded as such.

In its beginnings, the church of La Magdalena had three naves and therefore three apses. Its dimensions were rather small. Today only two apses remain, as in 1811 it was sacked and burnt down by Napoleon’s troops. Some paintings dating from the 16th century are still preserved along the interior wall of the chapel. Therefore, in a small space and despite the inclemency of the weather, we have a historical journey that goes from Mozarabic to Renaissance and Romanesque. A compendium of the art, history and culture of Pláceres.

When it was refurbished in 2008, glass was used to create a play of reflections without detracting from the medieval walls that can also be glimpsed here.

 

Undoubtedly one of the most magical and historic corners of the city of Plasencia, where you can see first-hand the best craftsmanship of Extremadura and at the same time one of the most interesting and hidden monuments in the city of Plasencia.