Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción in Moratalla

The church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción is a Catholic temple located in the municipality of Moratalla in the Region of Murcia, belonging to the diocese of Cartagena. The majority of the current structure, especially the interior, dates back to the 16th century, replacing a previous 14th-century building. The temple is identified with the well-defined typology of religious buildings known as 'iglesias columnarias'.

Before the current building was constructed, there were references to a 14th-century temple. A small window from that previous temple is still preserved in good condition on one of the facades of the current church. Construction of the interior appearance began in 1521, featuring a monumental 'sala columnaria' worked on by Francisco Florentino and later Juan de Marquina. Work resumed in 1561 following the designs of Pedro de Antequera. In 1616, Miguel de Madariaga was commissioned to provide the definitive design of the building, with works finishing in 1627. A new sacristy was built in 1631, and another was constructed in 1738.

The interior features large Jonic columns that separate the naves. The head of the church is situated above a coffered dome resting on semicircular arches. The main chapel is framed by two Jonic columns with gilded capitals and shafts imitating precious stones and bronzes. The vaults of the temple have ribs forming star decorations. These ribs are painted in gold with decorations of acanthus leaves. The current pictorial decoration dates from 1952. On one side, the chapel of Cristo del Rayo features a wood vault supported by angels.

Restoration work to recover lost heritage was carried out during the dictatorship in the 1950s. In the 1980s, the building was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC), granting it the first level of official protection. The church remains a significant example of the columnary style with many elements from previous periods.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons