The Church of San Saturnino, the ‘home’ of Pamplona’s patron saint
Located in the heart of Pamplona, right at the start of Calle Mayor and next to the Town Hall, the Church of San Saturnino (or San Cernin), is one of Navarre’s most revered religious edifices. We need to remember that it is dedicated to the city’s patron saint, San Saturnino (or San Cernin, as he is called in Occitan), who was a bishop in Toulouse (France) in the middle of the third century. And although many centuries have passed by since then, it is known that this saint undertook significant missionary work in France and Spain. He is reputed to have sent his disciple, San Honesto de Nimes to Pamplona to spread the Gospel, before he arrived in Navarre’s capital himself to convert the first Christians, among whom was San Fermín, later Pamplona’s first bishop. You can still see the well where the first new Christians were baptised — in the junction between Calle San Saturnino, Calle Mayor and Calle Jarauta.
- History of the Church of San Saturnino
- The architecture of the temple
- The city’s patron saint
- Where to stay in Pamplona
- Information for visitors: opening hours, prices, masses, and so on
Upon his return to Toulouse, San Saturnino was arrested by the pagans in the Capitole. They accused him of propounding a message that had drowned out the earlier ‘gods’. He refused to worship the pagan idols, and so, according to tradition, he was tied by the feet to the tail of a bull that was being prepared for sacrifice. The animal dragged him from the top of the Capitole, until he died. This was on 29 November in the year 250. Since then, Pamplona has venerated him as its patron saint for having brought the Christian faith to the city’s inhabitants.
History of the Church of San Saturnino
The Church of San Saturnino, with its two tall towers that define the profile of Pamplona, stands in what was once the medieval burg of San Cernin. Back then, the city consisted of three main hubs that did not exactly enjoy a happy relationship: the burgs of San Cernin, La Navarrería and San Nicolás. The origins of the burg of San Cernin date from the late eleventh century and, as the cathedral of La Navarrería was some distance away, it was decided to build a church in the French style dedicated to San Cernin — although there is said to have been a church dedicated to San Cernin already in existence, right next to the well where San Saturnino had baptised the city’s first Christians.
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Tower of the church of San Saturnino in Pamplona
The new church was constructed as a church cum fortress in the Gothic style. Two tall towers were built to serve as military lookout posts. Construction took place between 1277 and 1297. Later, a cloister was added, which has since disappeared, in the form of an irregular pentagon built around a garden. This space is now occupied by a Baroque chapel in honour of another deeply revered figure, the Virgen del Camino [Virgin of the Way of St. James].
The architecture of the temple
The main door of Pamplona’s Church of San Saturnino, with capitals depicting scenes from the childhood and Passion of Christ, is an excellent example of thirteenth-century Gothic architecture. The church’s Gothic interior is in a style not commonly found in Navarre, being constructed around a wide nave with a sexpartite vault, a polygonal apse, chapels set between buttresses, and a raised choir.
The year 1758 saw the construction of the chapel of the Virgen del Camino, an interesting example of Baroque architecture with a Greek cross central floor plan set within a square, with cupolas at the corners. The painted and silver-plated image of the Virgin is a Romanesque piece from Alfaro in La Rioja. No one knows how, but it appeared one morning in 1487 on a beam above San Saturnino’s high altar. The Riojans reclaimed the image and it was returned to them. The ‘miracle’ however was repeated, and so eventually the Riojans allowed it to remain at San Saturnino.
At the top of the church’s southern tower, its clock tower, is a weather vane in the form of a cockerel, now an emblem of the city, known as the ‘gallico’ [little cockerel] of San Cernin. Next to the weather vane is the clock that, during the San Fermín festivities, announces the exact moment that the rocket is launched to mark the beginning of the bull runs.
The city’s patron saint
Although the San Fermín festivities are the city’s most famous and popular, the patron saint of Pamplona is not San Fermín, but San Saturnino, whose festival is celebrated on 29 November. San Saturnino has been faithfully venerated in Navarre since the tenth century, but devotion to him grew from late in the eleventh century with the arrival in Pamplona of a large number of French merchants and clergy. Officially, it was in the eighteenth century that Pamplona’s Town Hall proclaimed San Saturnino as the city’s patron saint, while San Fermín and San Francisco Javier were declared joint patron saints of the Kingdom of Navarre. In addition to Pamplona, San Saturnino is also the patron saint of Artajona (Navarre) — and of six other Spanish towns.
Where to stay in Pamplona
If you’re looking for a relaxing break to enjoy Pamplona’s heritage and its unique character, and to explore the church of San Cernin, we can heartily recommend the Occidental Pamplona hotel. Navarre’s capital city has a wide range of accommodation designed for all sorts of travellers, but the Occidental Pamplona is, without a doubt, the establishment offering both the best value for money and an unforgettable stay. This is a four-star hotel, located close to Yamaguchi Park and the Planetarium. The hotel has 89 guest rooms which have been fully refurbished by the Navarre company Decoestudio. Rooms are available for 2, 3, and even 4 people. There are also several suites. In addition, the Occidental Pamplona offers panoramic views, modern facilities, and high-quality cuisine based on fresh, seasonal produce. It can also host events.
Information for visitors: opening hours, prices, masses, and so on
Entry to the Church of San Saturnino of Pamplona is free. The building is open to the public from 9.30 a.m. until 12.00 noon, and then from 6.00 p.m. until 7.30 p.m. On Sundays and public holiday, it is open from 10.00 a.m. until 1.30 p.m., and then from 6.30 p.m. until 7.30 p.m.
Mass is sung Monday – Saturday, at 10.00 a.m., 11.00 a.m. and 7.00 p.m. On Sundays and public holidays, Mass is sung at 11.00 a.m., 12.00 noon, 1.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. The Rosary is recited every day at 7.30 p.m.
San Saturnino Church is located in the street of the same name in Pamplona’s historic quarter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the patron saint of Pamplona?
The patron saint of Pamplona is not San Fermín, but San Saturnino.
How do I get to the Church of San Saturnino?
The Church of San Saturnino is located in the heart of Pamplona, in Calle San Saturnino, at the start of Calle Mayor and next to the Town Hall.
Related plans
![](https://www.barcelo.com/guia-turismo/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/san-fermin-pamplona-4.jpg)
San Fermín, the festival that brings the world to Pamplona
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