Iglesia de Santa Cruz (Church of the Holy Cross), Seville

The Church of the Holy Cross stands on Mateos Gago Street, just a short walk from the cathedral in the historic Holy Cross Neighborhood. While it bears the name of the district's central square, it is not actually located within it; rather, it occupies the site of the former Convent of the Holy Spirit. The church is deeply connected to the history of the area, which once formed the Jewish quarter of medieval Seville. Today, it serves as the headquarters of the Brotherhood of the Holy Cross, a prominent religious confraternity.

Construction of the building began in 1655 and was completed in 1672 to serve the Minor Clerics, only becoming the parish church of the Holy Cross in the 19th century after the original church in the nearby square was demolished. The main chapel, designed by architect José Tirado, was added in 1728. The interior features three naves and a magnificent altarpiece from 1735. Neoclassical refinements continued into the late 18th century, including the installation of 46 choir stalls made of mahogany and pine in 1800, salvaged from the Convent of Saint Augustine.

After centuries of appearing unfinished and plain, it was enhanced with a Neo-Baroque façade between 1926 and 1929 by architect Juan Talavera y Heredia, giving the building its current decorative character.

While the church itself sits on a bustling street, Holy Cross Square remains a peaceful retreat nearby. Shaded by orange trees and centered around a famous 17th-century wrought-iron cross, the square marks the site where the original church once stood and where the painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo is buried.