La Puebla de Almoradiel

The mixture of architectural styles, a consequence of the different phases of construction, makes it difficult to date it chronologically, but it can be traced back to the earliest stages of the Middle Ages, more specifically between the 12th and 14th centuries, with traces of Romanesque and Gothic styles in some parts, both inside and on the façade. Examples of this are two semicircular arches in the transept and two flared windows with paired semicircular arches. The current state of both the ground plan and the elevation shows a central nave with transept, covered with a barrel vault with lunettes and transverse arches. The transept arms lead to two chapels: the chapel of the Immaculate Conception, which runs parallel to the central nave, and the chapel-burial of the Ortiz family in the opposite arm, with a star-shaped ribbed vault, which today houses the images of the Virgin of Palomares and Jesús de Medinaceli. Adjoining this is the portico that shelters the entrance, which is inscribed in a semicircular arch, corresponding to the main entrance of the church. The cross of the Military Order of Santiago can be seen in the keystone of the arch. The star-shaped ribbed vault with cambered ribs that covers the apse, where the ribs and keystones stand out from the plements, stands out. The main altar is of modern aesthetics with a predominance of marble, and is presided over by a large image of St. John the Baptist and on either side those of the Heart of Jesus and the Heart of Mary. At the foot of the church is the choir, which is accessed by stairs that also lead to the bell tower of the Escorial style. One of the windows on the façade is in the same style, topped with a triangular pediment and ball ornaments.

Dating from the 16th century, it has a single nave with a rectangular floor plan, in the apse of which is the image of Nuestra Señora del Egido. The masonry wall is characterised by its compact and closed morphology, with hardly any openings, topped by a belfry. The façade of Renaissance aesthetics retains its sobriety, concentrating the decorative elements on the façade, also of Renaissance origin or from the beginning of the Baroque period, outstanding for its beauty with a classical flavour. The façade is inscribed in a semicircular arch of classical heritage, embraced by two columns attached to both sides of it, and at the top, crowning the whole, a lintelled structure with a semicircular pediment and ball ornaments that bring us closer to the Herrerian aesthetic. Below the pediment there is a niche that houses a stone carving of the Virgen del Egido. Inside, there is a double groin vault, formed by the perpendicular crossing of two barrel vaults. The apse is covered with a dome on pendentives above which are four oculi with images of the Evangelists. The hermitage is part of a convent to which it is attached; it once served as a hospital.

According to the story, in the area of "Palomares", located in the enclave of the municipalities of La Puebla de Almoradiel, Miguel Esteban and Quero, tradition has it that some farmers, while working, found buried among stones, the image of the Virgin Mary, which would later bear the name of this place and the small village that inhabited it, which, centuries later, together with that of La Magdalena, became part of the population centre that we are dealing with today. And it was there, on the very spot where the image was found, that its small shrine was built. Today the hermitage of the Virgen de Palomares is located 9 kilometres from La Puebla de Almoradiel and was rebuilt in the 1960s. It has a basilar ground plan with two adjoining longitudinal outbuildings with a lintelled roof. The masonry façade preserves the original wooden door, with a wrought-iron fence, also from the old chapel. The façade is topped with a gabled overhang. On both sides of the main entrance there are two porches, supported at each end by two stone columns in the Tuscan style. These columns are made in a single piece and, according to testimonies, come from the courtyard of the old Arco inn, which suggests that they are at least five centuries old (16th century). The façade is crowned by a brick belfry, which houses a bell from the hermitage of Santa Ana; the original, smaller bell is located inside the hermitage itself.

The hermitage of Santa Ana (once built on the outskirts of the village and today the centre of a large neighbourhood), is a simple building of Renaissance-Baroque origin, the age of which we do not have any specific information. It has a Latin cross floor plan with an entrance at the foot, in the middle of a large courtyard. In the masonry wall, at the top half of its corners, there are remains of ashlar masonry. The entrance opening is lintelled and is preceded by a three-sided portico supported by two stone columns in classical style, of recent construction. The nave, typically Renaissance, is covered with a barrel vault with lunettes. The transept roof has a half-orange dome on pendentives decorated with frescoes of religious images. It is worth noting the survival of an altarpiece from a period after the date of construction of the Hermitage. It has a strong baroque flavour, with its own characteristic elements, such as the Solomonic columns and the abundance of decoration reflected in the ornaments clustered around the shafts, topped by superb Corinthian capitals with acanthus leaves. On the right arm of the transept, covered with a flat schiffed vault, the crosses of the Order of St James, the Order of St John of Jerusalem, the Order of Calatrava, and the symbols of the Papacy - the keys of St Peter and Mithras - can be seen at the top, on each side.

Today it is a somewhat larger chapel than what was once a simple humble chapel, built by Francisco Sánchez Roldán, a very influential figure in this municipality, in the 16th century and dedicated to the adoration of the wounds of Jesus Crucified. It lacks a defined architectural style, with Romanesque influences on the façade and Renaissance and Baroque on the interior. It has a polygonal plan with a single nave, a chapel to the right of the apse, continued by the sacristy, and a raised entrance and choir at the foot. The façade is divided into three sections: the lower section is presided over by a doorway with a semicircular arch, on the keystone of which is inscribed the cross of the Military Order of Santiago; the intermediate section has a single lintelled opening; the upper section is clearly reminiscent of Romanesque architecture, with a blind arched finial of Lombard typology, embraced by two mouldings of Herrerian influence. Crowning the façade is a recently built belfry, with holes to house the three bells. The interior features a barrel vault with lunettes and transverse arches; the apse is covered with a dome on pendentives, in which four oculi decorated with frescoes are inscribed. In the apse is the precious and precious image of the Santísimo Cristo de la Salud, very venerated throughout this region of La Mancha, sheltered within a moulding with columns of combined shaft and acanthus-leaf capitals, decorated with gold leaf.

The hermitage of San Isidro is located two kilometres from the municipality on land formerly occupied by the Soriana royal path and private property, donated to the brotherhood of the Santo Labrador by Don Julio Villafranca Muñoz. The present appearance of the chapel is the result of several modifications carried out since the first works began in 1950, when it was inaugurated in May 1952. It has a rectangular floor plan with four outbuildings attached to the chancel. The façade, formerly of masonry, is now clad in cement and painted white on a stone plinth. Also dating from recent years is the wide portico that precedes the entrance, which has a three-sided roof and is supported by two large stone columns in the classical style. It has a semicircular arch with brickwork. The façade is crowned by a belfry, whose appearance has also changed over the years. The interior of the chapel has a chancel with three niches, a larger central one, which houses the figure of the patron saint of farmers.

It has been christened the Roman bridge, although its origin has not been established, nor has its date been found. It is true that the bridge has characteristics typical of constructions of Roman origin, although it may have been built in later times. Initially it was located on the banks of the river Gigüela, next to the Torrentera mill, and was used to enable the transit of people, livestock, horses and carriages, over a ditch or stream of small width next to the riverbed of the river. Today it is located at kilometre 8 of the Quintanar-Villacañas Greenway and at a distance of approximately 1 kilometre from the town. A single arched bridge of the segmental or segmental type with a circular curved soffit and where the arch span is less than the span. It is made of ashlar stones of a limestone nature, not cushioned. Construction features.

Today there are still vestiges of those fourteen mills, which marked the course of the river Gigüela as it passes through the municipality of La Puebla de Almoradiel. The oldest mill is the Torrontera mill, which dates back to the 15th-16th century, and the Pingazorras mill was rebuilt in 1728. The fourteen mills are: Cervero, Batán, Torrontera, Blanquillo, Quemadillo, Pintao, Zurrón, Pingazorras, Botifuera, Novezuelo, Laortiza, Doña Sol, El Viejo and Padre Juan. The grinding stones from 12 of the mills are decoratively placed on the walls of the local sports centre. According to official records, due to the great length of the course of the river Gigüela within the municipality, with multiple twists and turns, La Puebla de Almoradiel was the town in Spain with the greatest number of watermills.

The white domes of the astronomical complex of La Hita stand out over the plains of La Mancha. This location makes it particularly interesting for all those who opt for cultural tourism and wish to be amazed by the wonders of the night sky, through the activities offered at the observatory. An extraordinary complex has been built, mainly oriented towards research, scientific dissemination and education, with activities and workshops for all kinds of audiences. It can be visited at any time of the year. In this way, the tourist and leisure aspect of the area will be promoted, and as a result, the area will be revitalised.