Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (Meco) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
Native name Spanish: Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción

Location	Meco, Spain

Spanish Property of Cultural Interest
Official name: Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
Type	Non-movable
Criteria	Monument
Designated	1982
Reference no.	RI-51-0004599

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The Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (which means Our Lady of the Assumption in Spanish) is a beautiful old church in Meco, Spain. It is also a local parish. In 1982, this church was officially added to the Bien de Interés Cultural list. This means it is a very important historical site in Spain.

A Look Back: The Church's History
How the Church Was Built: Architecture
Inside the Church: Interior Details
Pictures of the church
See also

A Look Back: The Church's History

This church is very old! People believe it was built even before the year 1487. We know for sure that parts of the church we see today were already standing in 1568.

A famous writer named Ambrosio de Morales once wrote about how some important holy items (relics) of Santos Justo y Pastor passed through Meco. They were on their journey from Huesca to Alcalá de Henares.

Some records say the church officially started in 1548. A talented architect from Cantabria, named Juan Ribero, designed the church from start to finish. He even put in the special tiles in the main chapel. He worked on it until he passed away in 1598.

How the Church Was Built: Architecture

When you look at the church's design, you can see the clear influence of another famous architect, Diego de Siloe. Juan Ribero's plans, columns, and roof style are similar to de Siloe's work. You can see this in the Granada Cathedral, which was built in 1528.

Ribero's church features Gothic-style columns. It also has beautiful ribbed vaults, which are arched ceilings with decorative ribs.

The church has a rectangular shape. It is divided into three main parts, called naves, which are all the same height. The middle nave is wider than the two on its sides. Thick columns separate these naves. These columns have classical cornices (decorative tops) and capitals (the decorated tops of columns). The late-Gothic roof ribs rest on these columns.

The first four sections of the church are made of stone. The dome and the altar area are made of brick. They have limestone trim at the corners. There are four strong supports, called buttresses, on each side of the church.

The dome's section from the 18th century was designed by Teodoro Ardemans. He was the main architect for King Philip V. The main cupola (a small dome) was built by Feliciano, Julian, and Casimiro Cornejo. These builders constructed many churches near Madrid, Toledo, and Guadalajara in the late 1700s.

Inside the Church: Interior Details

Near the entrance, you can see two small holy water pools. They are from the Renaissance period and stand on Ionic pillars.

In the right side aisle, there is a large altarpiece dedicated to Santa Rita. An altarpiece is a work of art behind the altar. This one is in the Baroque style. It has gilded (gold-covered) Corinthian columns on its sides. Eight angels are at the top center. On the altar itself, there is a painting of Saint Pastor.

On one side of the nave, there is a chapel dedicated to the Virgen del Carmen. This chapel has a gate from the 17th century and a neoclassical altarpiece.

The main chapel is dedicated to the church's patron saint. It has a beautiful gilded altarpiece that was restored recently. The original image of the Virgin and some angels, which were in the center, disappeared. This happened during a difficult time in history, at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War (1936–39).

At the very top of the altarpiece, there is a large Baroque image of the Holy Trinity. At the bottom, below where the Assumption image would be, there are statues of Santos Justo y Pastor. There is also another group with the Church Fathers, Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory. These statues are large and colorful. They remind people of the famous sculptor Salzillo from Murcia.

The altarpiece before this one, from 1537, was in a late Gothic style. It had 12 panel paintings that showed scenes from the lives of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. Six of these paintings are still preserved today. They are about 1.20 meters by 1 meter in size. All of them are works by Juan Correa de Vivar. These paintings have been restored and are considered culturally important. The preserved paintings show:

The Annunciation
The Visitation
The Adoration of the Shepherds
The Adoration of the Kings (where Charles V is shown as King Gaspar)
Veronica
The Descent

The tabernacle used today is gold with enamel. It looks like the front of the Romanesque altar of Avia. A tabernacle is a special box where the Eucharist is kept.

On the wall of the left side aisle, there is another Baroque altar. This one is dedicated to Mary Immaculate. It has angels around the typical image. On the altar, on the wall, there is another oval painting of San Justo. Below this, you will find the Sacristy, which holds many rich ornaments used for worship.

In the nave, there is a chapel from the 16th century. It is closed off by large wrought-iron railings. The left side of this chapel has a marble tomb. It shows a family crest and a Latin inscription that means "Kidnapped by death." Under this marble lies Dr. Juan Gutierrez, along with the bones of his relatives. He was a very smart man, full of knowledge. On the floor, there are two tombstones. One of them mentions Doctor Juan Gutierrez Sanz as the "father of the chapel." It says he celebrated the feast of the Immaculate Conception there for over forty years and offered a lamp. He was also a founder.