Medellin No. 2 / Medellín

INFORMATION

Font ID: 08014MED
Object Type: Baptismal Font1
Font Century and Period/Style: 15th century, Gothic
Church / Chapel Name: Iglesia Parroquial de San Martín Obispo
Font Location in Church: Inside the church
Church Patron Saint(s): St. Martin of Tours
Church Notes: 13thC church; much modified since
Church Address: Laderas del Castillo, 06411 Medellín, Badajoz, Spain
Site Location: Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain, Europe
Directions to Site: Located off the EX-206, 34 km E of Merida
Ecclesiastic Region: Diócesis de Badajoz
Additional Comments: famous person font? (Hernan Cortes, the Spanish "conquistador" is said to have been baptised in it) [cf. FontNotes]
Font Notes:
Baptismal font probably of the 15th century. The web site Medellin Turismo [https://turismomedellin.es/sitios/iglesia-de-san-martin-obispo/] [accessed 24 May 2025] notes tha the baptismal font of this church was, according to the parish priest, the one in which Conquistador Hernán Cortés received baptism; it had been disused by the north door until he, the said priest, had it restored to the interior: "En la iglesia se conserva la Pila Bautismal en la que por “tradición oral constante” hasta principios del s. XX -según Rodríguez Gordillo-, “debió recibir las regeneradoras aguas del bautismo el ínclito hijo de esta Villa Hernán Cortés.” La pila fue recogida de la puerta norte, donde se hallaba abandonada e introducida y custodiada dentro del templo, por el mísmo párroco citado." The baptismal font consists of a much-damaged roughly-hemispherical basin raised on a broad pedestal base, the whole very crude and totally plain.
Credit and Acknowledgements: We are grateful to Manuel Trinidad, of www.nuevoportal.com , for bringing this font to our attention

COORDINATES

UTM: 30S 243698 4317137
Latitude & Longitude (Decimal): 38.965732, -5.958187
Latitude & Longitude (DMS): 38° 57′ 56.63″ N, 5° 57′ 29.47″ W

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone
Font Shape: hemispheric, mounted
Basin Interior Shape: round
Basin Exterior Shape: round