Església de Sant Roc

In the very heart of the old town of Oliva, the Església de Sant Roc is one of those churches where the history of the town is written into its own stones. Built on the foundations of a former mosque that was converted into a Christian temple when the parish was created in 1535, the building we see today reflects centuries of change, reaching its present form when it was completed in 1886.

History

The parish dates back to 1535, when the original Islamic place of worship was adapted to Christian use. The church grew and was reformed over the following centuries, and was not finished until 1886, which explains the sober, mature character of the whole. It is a story typical of the towns of this region, where the medieval and the modern coexist within the same walls.

What to see

The neoclassical façade, crowned by a triangular pediment, gives way to an interior with a Latin-cross plan covered by a barrel vault. The most striking feature is its polychrome domes of glazed ceramic, which gleam under the Mediterranean sun. On the pendentives of the central dome you can still see the paintings of the evangelists by the artist Antonio Cortina.

• Note the contrast between the plain façade and the colourful domes.
• Look for the four evangelists on the central pendentives.
• Pair your visit with a stroll through the rest of Oliva's old town.