Església de Santa Maria la Major

In the heart of Oliva's old town, presiding over the Plaça de l'Església, stands the Església de Santa Maria la Major, the town's main church and one of the finest examples of eighteenth-century Valencian architecture. Built for the most part between 1705 and 1787 over an earlier Gothic church, it impresses less through a profusion of ornament than through the serene elegance of its proportions.

History and architecture

The building rose over almost the entire eighteenth century, a period that left its mark in a restrained evolution from the late Baroque towards Neoclassicism. The result is a three-nave interior dominated by spatial clarity. A spacious crypt bridges the considerable slope of the ground on which the church sits, a structural solution that is as practical as it is intriguing.

What to see

• The Capella del Roser (Chapel of the Rosary), with its Baroque character, one of the most distinctive spaces in the building.
• The small parish museum, with pieces of silverwork and liturgical ornaments.
• The harmony of the three naves, where proportion rather than decorative excess is the true protagonist.

Tips for your visit

• Pair it with a stroll through Oliva's old quarter, with its steep streets and quiet charm.
• Respect service times; it is best visited outside of Mass.
• It makes an ideal stop before or after a day at the beach of Oliva.