Old Church of Calp: history, hours and location

The Old Church of Calp is one of the original constructions of the town that dates back to the XNUMXth century. Next to it is the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church and both make up the religious complex of the Calpino historic center.

The original door of the Old Church and the Abbey house - Book 'Calp blanc i negre'

History

The small Calpino temple was built in the XNUMXth century on top of an old chapel from the Christian conquest. However, its oldest part dates even from the XIII. The church is listed as one of the few examples of the Mudejar Gothic style in the Valencian Community.

Part of the oldest altar in the chapel

Originally, it was built to combine the religious function with the defensive, as it was the place of refuge when the population was attacked. In the XNUMXth century it was transformed into the current sacristy and the bell tower was added.

The old wall and bell tower of the church in the 1970s - Book 'Calp blanc i negre'

In the XNUMXth century, the central nave was enlarged and a door leading to the inner courtyard was opened. This is located between the modern temple and the abbey house.

Courtyard area with the abbey house and the door of the Old Church on the right

Structure and decorative elements

The small Calpine church has a rectangular floor plan and consists of two naves, the central one and the lateral one. These are joined by pillars with semicircular arches supported by pointed vaults.

Semicircular arches between the central and lateral naves

For its part, the sacristy and the choir are from the mid-eighteenth century and the apse belongs to the wall of the old walls of the town.

The back of the Old Church surrounded by the original wall

Inside it houses a Gothic-style XNUMXth-century tempera pictorial panel. It represents San Antonio Abad, San Cosme and San Damián. The work is attributed to the disciple of Juan Rexach, a well-known Spanish painter of the time in the Crown of Aragon.

Pictorial table in tempera from the XNUMXth century next to the Virgen del Carmen in the Old Church of Calpina

Its structure also highlights the bell tower. It is a very characteristic element that was built at different times and has four small semicircular arches that surround the bells.

Bell tower next to the wall of the town

The Old Church today

Starting in the 70s, construction began on the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church next to the Old Church. The new temple was located where the defensive fortification of Calp was located. It was completed in 1977 and, since then, the small Old Church has been the chapel of the new temple.

Model of the Old Church and the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church in the Museum of Collecting in Calp

Location

The Old Church of Calp is located between the Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves in Plaça de la Villa and Calle del Campanar.

Visiting hours

Due to its location, the Old Church of Calp shares the same opening hours as the Parish Church of Las Nieves. This distinguishes between winter and summer time:

Winter

• From Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 13:30 p.m. and from 17:00 p.m. to 20:00 p.m.
• Sundays from 08:00 to 12:30 and from 18:30 to 20:00.

Summer

• From Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 13:30 p.m. and from 18:00 p.m. to 20:30 p.m.
• Sundays from 08:00 to 12:00 and from 19:00 to 20:30.

You can consult the mass schedule and more information about the Parish Church of Our Lady of the Snows here.

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