Saint Maria's church (XIV-XVII) - Ontinyent

Data

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Address: Plaça de la Vila, 3, 46870 Ontinyent, València

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Open holidays: No

Map

The final construction was made in the first half of the XVIth Century, although we can find some alterations that were made before (XIV-XVth Centuries) and later (XVII century). After the Christian's occupation a first temple was constructed, probably upon the Islamic mosque, from which however no vestige remains, though it may be, perhaps, from a church with diaphragm arches and covered ceiling of carved wood. An alteration from the middle of the XVth Century is documented corresponding to the opening of the arms that gave the church a Latin cross floor. The final renovation (1518-1530) was the work of Benet Oger, master builder from Lyons (France), and responsible, among others, for the collegiate church of Reus. It’s at that moment when the two ribbed vaults from the feet are constructed of round ramp, one of which (the central one) reproduces the design of the vaults from the Lonja de los Mercaderes of Valencia. The two vaults are supported by pilasters in the shape of twisted rope and helicoidals of groins. The magnificent Renaissance façade (1530) is one of the most beautiful and outstanding from the first Valencian Renaissance. The lateral chapels (towards 1540) were the work of Joan de Batea, Basque-French master stonemason who ended up living in Ontinyent. In the middle of the XIXth century a profound and unfortunate rebuilding was carried out, with the aesthetic influenced by strict Neoclassicism that ended in the recovering of the vaults, the destruction hiding of the pilasters and windows of gothic masonry. The process of repristining at the end of the seventies has allowed the vaults to be uncovered and the original appearance of the pilasters to be perceived. The presbytery was constructed around 1570, although it was renovated at the end of the XVIIth Century and under it the crypt is located, where the niches in which the presbyters were buried can be seen. The vestry was built between 1580-1610. The Chapel of the Purísima (1662-1692) was built almost at the same time as the bell tower (began in 1689). In 1666 it obtained the title of Royal Chapel. By pontifical bull of Alexander VII, is perpetually attached to the basilica of San Juan de Letrán in Rome. The current aspect is the result of the restoration carried out by Carlos Tormo, Carlets, in the middle of the 20th century. It’s outstanding the sgraffito of the walls, the dome without buttress, the litanies of the railings of the cornice and the altar. The image of the patron saint of the city (since 1642) carved in silver is honoured. Among the pieces of furniture stand out: the table of the Annunciation, an anonymous Valencian work from the second half of the XVth Century; the gothic baptismal font (XVth Century) used as a basin next to an interesting altarpiece of tiles (XVIIIth Century), both in the access to the bell tower; the oil paintings of Josep Segrelles (XXth Century) in the presbytery and in the lateral of the crossing; a painting of the Souls by Nicolás Borràs (16th century), which comes from the old altarpiece of the church of San Miguel, disappeared in 1936; the magnificent florentine baptismal font from the second half of the XVIIth Century; the pictorial collection of Vidal i Tur: works of Ribalta, Valdés Leal, Vicente López and anonymous ones from the XVIIth Century; the sculptures of Saint Sepulchre (1943) and The Solitude of the Madonna (1943-1944) by Mariano Benlliure. Inside the crypt we can find, among others, a medieval tombstone (XVth Century), as well as the tombstone of Gaspar Blai Arbuixec (XVIIth century), doctor in Theology, prior of the royal order of San Felipe Neri and promoter of the construction of the Chapel of the Purísima. Saint Maria’s Church, together with La Vila quarter, were declared of National Historic Artistic Interest in 1974.