Iglesia de Santa María de los Ángeles (San Juan de Alicante)

In the heart of the old town of Sant Joan d'Alacant, a municipality close to the city of Alicante, stands this 18th-century Baroque church, famous for preserving one of the most extraordinary sets of mural paintings in the province. Its solid tower and stone portal dominate the church square and mark the centre of the town.

History

The church reflects the Baroque taste of the 18th century, an era when many towns around Alicante renewed their parish churches with a richer, more exuberant decorative language. The stone of its façade and the sturdiness of its bell tower speak to that building period, when architecture aimed to assert its presence over the surrounding houses.

What to see

The great treasure of the church is the mural paintings that decorate its vaults, attributed to the Bushell workshop and to artists of the Alicante school. This ensemble is regarded as among the most notable in the province and rewards a slow, attentive look upward to take in the colour and narrative richness of the frescoes.

• The vaults and their painted decoration, the main reason to visit.
• The stone portal and the tower, visible from the square itself.

Tips for your visit

• Check service times, as access usually coincides with Mass.
• Take the chance to wander through the town's historic centre.
• If you are exploring the area, combine the trip with the city of Alacant.