Iglesia de San Martín

The church was built in the first half of the 13th century in Romanesque style at the heart of Plasencia, very close to the Plaza Mayor. Of the original building, only the southern wall and one of the jambs of the door in the northern façade. The interior is divided in three naves from the 14th and 15th centuries, and the high altar, with its rib vaulted roof, dates from the 15th century.

It does not regularly serve as a place of worship, in fact, it depends on the church of San Esteban.

Without a doubt, the most valuable element in the Church of San Martin is the gold and polychrome altarpiece with paintings by Luis de Morales, El Divino, one of the best Spanish artists of his time. Of the right paintings in the San Martín altarpiece, four (The Annunciation, St. Martin, The Visitaiton and The Circumcision) are attributed to Luis de Morales, who was born in Badajoz in 1510 and died in Alcántrara in 1586. Conversely, The Fathers of the Church, Nativity, Epipahy and St. Martin on horseback, would be products of other painters in his workshop

Morales was commissioned with painting the San Martín altarpiece while working in the impressive high altarpiece of the Church of La Asunción in Arroyo de la Luz, between 1560 and 1563. In fact, of the many altarpieces made by Luis de Morales, only those in Arroyo de la Luz and San Martin in Plasencia are still mounted as complete ensembles, with their original structure and decorations.

Works for cleaning and improving lighting and acoustics ended in 2015, allowing visitors to admire the beauty of this late Romanesque temple and its altarpiece, fundamental for understanding the vast religious and cultural heritage of Plasencia.