The church of Saint Roman is the most striking building in Cobos de Cerrato. Built in the first third of the 16th century, it dominates this small town thanks to its compact structure and its elevated position in the Franco River valley.
It has a rectangular floor plan with a flat chevet, an adjoining sacristy and a square tower with a belfry which, for centuries, has marked the rhythm of the town. Its construction combines fine ashlar masonry in the main elements with more modest materials in secondary areas.
The main entrance features a Plateresque façade, one of the church’s most interesting elements. The tympanum is dominated by a relief of the Pietà, a serene and restrained image of the Virgin holding the dead Christ, typical of the Castilian Renaissance repertoire. Surrounding it are ornamental motifs that reflect the arrival of the humanist style even in the rural settings of the 16th century.
Inside, the single nave is a light and balanced space. Its main feature is the high altarpiece, depicting the four Evangelists with their traditional symbols: the angel, the lion, the bull and the eagle.
The building maintains the sobriety that defines the rural churches of the Cerrato region: a functional, sturdy architecture deeply integrated in its cultural landscape.
