The Church of Santiago, located in the Plaza de la Catedral, was the site of the Jesuit College in this city, of which only the church remains. After the assault and sacking of Cádiz in 1596 by Anglo-Dutch troops commanded by the Earl of Essex, the College was left in such poor condition that the original church was rebuilt. It is now in the Mannerist style, pioneered by Vignola for the Basilica of Jesus in Rome and replicated in most Jesuit churches.
The design, dated 1635, is attributed to the Jesuit brother Alonso Romero, and construction took approximately twelve years.The main façade is located at the base, facing the Cathedral Square, and is structured with pilasters leaning against the wall in the Ionic style, crafted by the traditional stonemasons so characteristic of this city. The pediments are made of Mannerist-style marble, one facing the square and the other Santiago Street. It has a single corner tower with two levels, the upper one octagonal, topped by an original onion dome, a work of the 18th century.