Orihuela Heritage

The need for consolidation of the remains of the castle and the walled enclosure is imperative, as inclement weather, the passage of time, and human activities have contributed to these ruins, which are now in a very alarming state of conservation. The building was included in the Red List of World Heritage as Hispanic history that is in danger. There are still remains of the citadel and the bathroom area of the queen.

Gate of Olma or Elche. The only entrance to the city that remains standing after the collapse of the walls by Felipe V. It is of Almohad origin, although King Philip II ordered its reform in the 16th century.

The upper part is stamped by the shield of the city and has an image of St. Michael, protector of the city. Today there is still a beautiful ritual of the entrance to the prelates of Orihuela, with the back of a donkey coming from Castile. It lies next to Colegio del Patriarca in Santo Domingo and was declared of cultural interest.

Heritage of Orihuela

The municipality of Orihuela can boast of being very close to the Valencia municipality in having more monuments. These include:

In Orihuela City

The historic town was declared a Historic Artistic Monument in 1969, being one of the first to be declared in Spain. The city preserves many monuments, many of them declared of Cultural Interest (BIC), as well as numerous civil and ecclesiastical buildings. Interspersed among them are churches, monasteries, convents, monasteries and palaces, mansions, and burgher houses of various ages.

Military Architecture

Castillo de Orihuela. A castle at the top of Mount San Miguel probably built in the time of the Visigoth king Theodoric, although other sources indicate that it is of Arabic origin. Despite having been declared a Historical Ruins and Ruins Glorieuses in 1931 and being protected by the Special Plan for Protection of Historic Orihuela, its degradation is ongoing.

In addition, it contains the works of Antonio Villanueva, Galarza, Antonio Ruidavest, etc., and a neo-Gothic body of the 19th century. There are important collections of textiles from the 18th, 19th, and 20th, centuries. It was declared Spanish Cultural Historic Heritage.

Church of St. James. A Gothic church with a single nave with chapels between buttresses. It is a Gothic-style home from the Elizabethan d Renaissance presbyteries. The Baroque chapel highlights the Baroque organ. The sculptural group La Sagrada Familia was designed by Francisco Salzillo and Dominicans of the Holy author and the Apostleship of Joseph Puchol. It was declared BIC.

Diocesan College Santo Domingo or Loazes Colegio del Patriarca. A monumental building with over 18,000 m²; there are numerous styles from the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo periods.

The National Monument is the largest of Valencia. It is composed of two faculties, three patios, three monumental doorways, and the church. It was founded by Cardinal Loazes (patriarch of Antioch) under the name of Colegio del Patriarca, which was based on the Order of Preachers and the Pontifical and Royal University of Orihuela, qualifications awarded by His Holiness Pope Pius V (1569) and King Philip IV, and was directed by its employees.

Its construction began in the 16th century, ending in the 18th century. Works of Antonio Villanueva, Camacho Felices, Albert Bartholomew, Nicolas Borras, etc., can be found there. It was declared a Monument of Fine Arts by Queen Elizabeth II and was switched to a National Monument, taking into consideration the amount of Spanish cultural heritage interest.

Walls of the city. Located in the basement of the lecture hall at the University Miguel Hernandez is a part of the wall formed by a canvas on which integrates four towers from Almohad origin, altered in the 14th century. You can also visit Arab baths, Islamic dwellings, and traces of Baroque and Gothic buildings, as well as the remains of the Palace of King Ferdinand I of Antequera and archaeological remains of houses from the Almohads.

Other areas with towers and remains of the walls are Torres Monserrate, Casinello Tower House, Embergones Tower, Seminar, and Torres.

Ecclesiastical Architectural Heritage

Cathedral Church of St. Salvador. Gothic church from the 13th to 15th centuries with three aisles that were transformed by Pere Compte XVI. Both the Gothic and Renaissance choirs of the 18th century were led by Juan Bautista Borja.

It boasts the work of the 18th century artist Salanova, one of the finest of Spanish release. It emphasizes the Communion Chapel and the Chapel of the Rosary. It contains important works by artists such as Velazquez, Sanchez Coello, Ribera, Francisco Salzillo, Galarza, Jose Sanchez Lozano, Mathias Stommer, Vergara, Paolo de San Leocadio, Eduardo Vicente, Luis de Morales “the Divine,” etc., as well as an important set of gold and liturgical textiles dating from the 15th century to the present and is of great quality. It was declared a Spanish Cultural Historic Heritage.

The first National Library of Spain (16th century) was founded in this college and is current known as State Library of Fernando Loazes.

Church of Santa Justa y Rufina. This is a Gothic church with a single nave with chapels between buttresses, a side cover, and a main doorway. Highlights include a Renaissance altarpiece of the chapel of the Communion and the design of 18th-century neoclassical style. The building was declared a place of cultural interest. The Sacristy was designed by Jaime Bort.

Shrine of Our Lady of Monserrate (Orihuela). The Baroque church was built in the 17th century with the remains of a medieval Gothic style. It preserves the image of the patron saint of the city thanks to the work of Jose Sanchez Lozano.

The expansion of the building during the 18th century was conducted by Bishop of Orihuela and Juan Elias Gomez Teran, designing a new style that had become popular in European capitals, with tenets of neoclassical fashion, not following the imposition of Carlos III to come more than 40 years later.

Its interior preserves an important collection of paintings by Albert Bartolome. The décor highlights the altarpiece of the Capilla Mayor—the sculptor was Jose Puchol—and the altarpiece of the Chapel of the Finding, the work of Anthony Caro Viejo. The polychrome and gold were designed by Albert Bartolome of Heredia.

Other Buildings: Church of San Anton (18th century), Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher (17th century), Chapel of Our Lady of Monserrate (16th century), Diocesan Seminary of San Miguel-Orihuela (18th century), Iglesia del Carmen (18th century), Royal Monastery of the Sisters Salesas (Orihuela)/Royal Monastery of the Visitation (18th–19th centuries), Monastery of San Juan Bautista of Penance (18th century), Convento de Santa Ana (16th–18th centuries), Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Jesus Maria College (18th century), Monastery of San Sebastian (16th–17th centuries), and Hospital San Juan de Dios (16th century).