St. Matthew Church

The church of Saint Matthew in Tarifa represents the most important temple of this city of Cádiz, both for its size, architectural and artistic value and for its indisputable urban preponderance in the historic center of Tarifa. Its location in the heart of the town and the outstanding silhouette of its mass above the low-rise settlement allow considering this church as a reference or fundamental urban landmark of Tarifa, especially from an environmental and urban point of view.

Due to its indisputable values, it was necessary to prepare a document that recognizes the importance of the church and its transformations over time, estimates its protection and that of the urban environment that surrounds it, and guarantees its conservation and the precise measures to assure its good condition in the future. The literal delimitation of the Cultural Heritage Asset will attend to the architectural, historical and urban values ​​of the property:

• The monument, as an architectural manifestation, must be protected as a whole, including all additional phases to the original, since each and every one of them are part of its evolution and respond to crucial episodes to understand the history of the building.

• An area for spatial protection will be included, which will attend to the understanding of the evolution and current nature of the building environment, in such a way that adequate precautions and visual protections are guaranteed in relation to the building, as well as a series of permitted uses and respectful with the Cultural Heritage Asset within this area of ​​special protection.

• Attention will be paid to achieving an area around the building where the volumetric entity of the church is respected according to the original nature of the urban red where it is inserted, as stated in the attached graphic documentation. In this environment, the aim will be to limit the heights of the buildings, adapting to the traditional criteria of low two-story buildings.