Santa María de Melque facts for kids

Santa María de Melque is a very old church in the province of Toledo in Spain. People say it's the biggest early medieval church in Western Europe that still has its original vaulted ceilings.

You can find it near the town of San Martín de Montalbán. It's located between two small towns, La Puebla de Montalbán and Gálvez. The church sits close to a small stream called Ripas and the Torcón river, which flows into the Tagus river.

This church is part of a larger area that has been recently fixed up. The church itself is a great example of Mozarabic and Visigothic styles. It's one of the most important religious buildings from the Early Middle Ages in Spain.

Today, you can visit the church, which is in the middle of the area. There's also a visitor center in the buildings next to it. The views from Santa María are also very special and show off the beauty of the area.

History of the Church

Inside the church.

Long ago, the Romans lived in this spot. They built five dams across the streams around a small, rocky hill. Santa María de Melque started as a group of buildings for monks. It was part of the Catholic Kingdom of Toledo.

Building the church began in the 600s. This was at the end of the Visigothic kingdom. Some people think construction stopped when the Arabs arrived. Others believe the building style shows ideas from Syria and the Umayyad people. It seems there was an Islamic village at Melque in the 700s.

In 1085, King Alfonso VI of León and Castile took over Toledo. After this, the church was used for religious services again. But it also kept its military purpose. Old graves found nearby and parts of old walls show this history.

People stopped using the site for worship in the 1800s. This happened after a time when the government took over church properties.

Building Style

Plan of the church.

The church was built in the 700s. It is one of the best-preserved buildings from the High Middle Ages in Spain. The way it was built is similar to how the Romans constructed their buildings.

At first, the church might have been a special tomb. It probably was for an important person from Toledo's Visigothic Kingdom. This is because there are very few decorations left. The church was changed at least two times later on.

The Knights Templar turned the church into a defensive tower. It was like the towers the Romans used to build. This tower, which was on top of the dome, has now been taken down. There used to be a porch with three openings, but it's gone now.

The church has a cross shape with a main altar area. Two side altar areas were added later. The different parts of the church are still in good condition. These include some side chapels and a room with very curved arches. There's also a small space that was likely for the person who started the church.

The main altar area is large, which was good for a group of monks. It has round arches on both sides. There is also an old tower over the main ceiling.

The church was built with huge stone blocks that fit together without mortar. They look like the blocks used in the Aqueduct of Segovia. The measurements for the building were based on Roman cubits. This is similar to another church in Toledo, San Pedro de la Mata.

This church shows a mix of styles:

• Visigothic ideas: The curved arch that holds up the main ceiling. It curves more than a normal half-circle. The building also doesn't have many sculptures, which was common in Visigothic times.
• Mozarabic ideas: The main curved arches that curve even more than the Visigothic ones. The window arches also have a special curve. There are also strange half-round pillars inside.
• New ideas: The corners of the church are rounded. They also have a vertical crack on each side, which looks like fake columns. This was a new design.
• Roman style: The huge granite blocks and the Roman measurements. The church's shape is similar to the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna, Italy.

See also

In Spanish: Iglesia de Santa María de Melque para niños