What to do · Setenil de las Bodegas
Church of the Encarnación
Information
- Duration
- 20 min
- Who it's for
- Everyone
What it is
The church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación is Setenil's main church. It stands at the top of the village, in La Villa, next to the keep tower, inside the old Nasrid fortress precinct. It was built after the Christian conquest of 1484 and, according to the association Los Pueblos Más Bonitos de España (Spain's Most Beautiful Villages), on the site of the old main mosque and with the patronage of the Catholic Monarchs.
Work on it lasted until the 17th century. The Diputación de Cádiz guide describes it as late Gothic, with a single nave and a very marked transept; Wikipedia adds that it combines Mudéjar and Gothic parts.
What you see
The most valuable thing inside is the altarpiece of the Annunciation, from the 15th century, a piece from the village's first Christian years. Look at the transept, which gives the space its cross shape.
Outside, in the little square of the church, is the Villa viewpoint: according to the Town Council, it looks over the Cabrerizas and Jabonería neighbourhoods and part of the River Guadalporcún.
Opening hours and admission
Neither the Town Council nor the tourism website publishes the church's visiting hours. It is a place of worship, so access depends on the parish's timetables. Ask at the tourist office, a few metres away, whether you can see the inside on the day you go and whether there is a guided visit. During services, keep quiet and don't take photographs.
The visit is short: in twenty minutes you see the interior and the viewpoint.
Getting there and parking
The church is in the upper part, a step from the Plaza de Andalucía. Park below, on the Paseo Federico García Lorca, and walk up: along Cuevas del Sol, Cuevas de la Sombra and Calle Herrería you reach the plaza, passing the cave streets. Don't try to drive up; the streets of the old town are narrow and steep.
Other churches and hermitages in the village
If you are interested in religious heritage, Setenil has several hermitages. That of San Sebastián, from the 15th and 16th centuries, is considered the first Christian construction after the conquest. That of San Benito was originally a mosque in the outlying quarter; its present appearance dates from the late 19th century. That of the Carmen, from the 18th century, is the seat of the village's patron and is next to the Carmen viewpoint.
With children and reduced mobility
The climb from the lower part has slopes and steps. With a pushchair, the last stretch is hard going; with a wheelchair, ask at the tourist office for the most comfortable access to the upper part.
Tips
- Combine it with the tower They are next to each other: in an hour you see the church, the tower, the cistern and the two viewpoints up top.
- Look out from the Villa viewpoint The little square of the church looks onto the face of the village you can't see from the covered streets.
- Ask before you climb The tourist office knows whether the church is open that day; it saves the climb if it isn't.
Frequently asked questions
What period is the church of the Encarnación from?
It was begun after the 1484 conquest and work continued until the 17th century. It is late Gothic, with Mudéjar elements.
What is inside?
The highlight is the altarpiece of the Annunciation, from the 15th century.
Does it have visiting hours?
They are not published. Ask at the tourist office, a few metres away, whether it is open on the day you go.
