Nuestra Señora de Gracia Parish Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nuestra Señora de Gracia Parish ChurchIglesia parroquial de Nuestra Señora de Gracia |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| District | Palomas |
| Province | Badajoz |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Parish Church |
| Location | |
| Location | Badajoz, Spain |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| Official name: Iglesia parroquial de Nuestra Señora de Gracia | |
| Designated | 23 July 1991 |
| Reference no. | (R.I.)51 - 0005418 - 00000 |
The Nuestra Señora de Gracia Parish Church is a beautiful old church located in Palomas, a town in western Spain. It's a Roman Catholic church, which means it's part of the worldwide Christian church led by the Pope. This special building was officially recognized as a "Cultural Heritage Site" (called Bien de Interés Cultural in Spanish) in 2013, showing how important it is.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
The Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church is a very old and important building. It stands at the highest point in the town of Palomas. The church is in the middle of a rectangular town square. It is surrounded by streets named Iglesia, Jesús, Tras Iglesia, and Juan XXIII.
Building Style and Time Period
This church was built in the 1500s, during the 16th century. It mixes two cool building styles: Gothic and Mudéjar. Gothic style often has tall arches and big windows. Mudéjar style uses brickwork and geometric patterns, often seen in Spain. The church was also connected to the Order of Santiago, a group of knights.
The Amazing Church Tower
The church's tall tower is its most famous part. It's one of the prettiest towers in the Lower Extremadura region. The tower has cool patterns made from shaped bricks. This tower, along with other buildings nearby, is a great example of the Mudéjar style.
The tower was finished before the year 1550. It has a square shape and is very tall. It has three main parts. The bottom two parts are actually inside the church. The very bottom part forms the church's entrance area, called the narthex. The section above that forms the choir-gallery, where singers might stand.
Art and Decorations Inside
Inside the church, you can still see some amazing old artworks. There's a main altarpiece, which is a decorated screen behind the altar. There are also several smaller altars on the sides. These are dedicated to different religious figures. Some are for the Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Nazarene, the Immaculate Conception, Dolorosa, or Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Location and Surroundings
The church stands freely in the center of a rectangular town square. It's turned a bit compared to the square itself. Because the ground slopes, a raised platform was built around the south side of the church.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Gracia (Palomas) para niños
