Iglesia de Santa Cecilia in Ronda

Iglesia de Santa Cecilia - Ronda

Dating from 1663, the Iglesia de los Trinitarios Descalzos as it was first known, was the third home of the “Order of Descalzed Nuns” of Ronda, who nowadays are located in the convent attached to the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Merced.

The plaza in front of the church, Plaza Los Descalzos, still retains the name of the order.

An older Christian chapel, the “Ermita del Cristo de las Penas o Peñas” occupied this site from mid 16th century, being demolished to make way for the church you see today. In 1836 the Descalzed Order vacated the church and convent, and a school was established on the site using the church as their chapel.

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Espiritu Santo

Espiritu Santo church in Ronda

Despite its formidable appearance, the Holy Spirit Church is actually one of Ronda’s most noteworthy religious sites. What makes it particularly unique is that it’s integrated into the original fortified walls of the old city, and was even constructed on the foundations of a former octagonal tower once used by the Moors to defend the gate and walls in this part of Ronda. As a result, the church’s structure has a rich history and tells a fascinating story of the city’s past.

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La iglesia de Santa María la Mayor

Ronda - Santa María la Mayor - Church

Here is the Spanish language version for the article about the Santa María la Mayor church in Ronda. You can read the original English language version here.

La iglesia de Santa María la Mayor (también conocida como Santa María de la Encarnación la Mayor), fue construída en el s. XIV como una mezquita. Se encuentra en la plaza del Ayuntamiento de Ronda (plaza Duquesa de Parcent) y es la iglesia más grande y atractiva de la ciudad. Su característica torre y su fachada principal hacen esta iglesia más parecida a un ayuntamiento que a una iglesia pero no hay equivocación posible cuando se pasa a su interior.

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Churches in Ronda

churches and religion in ronda

Ronda is famous for it’s churches built after the reconquest as Catholic Spain asserted it’s control over the formerly Muslim city. Four of the many churches in Ronda are especially noted for their architecture or the story behind them, and all are part of every great tour of Ronda.

Christianity in Ronda began with Visigothic control of Iberia after the collapse of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, and quickly became the dominant faith. Arab invaders entered Iberia and overran the Visigoths beginning in 711 AD, and until 1485 Ronda was a Muslim stronghold alternating between liberal interpretations of Muslim faith and the more conservative Sharia versions.

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Iglesia de Nuestro Padre Jesús Ronda

Iglesia Nuestro Padre Jesus, Ronda

Originally built at the end of the 15th century and beginning of the 16th century the church was dedicated to Santa Cecilia who at the time of the reconquest was enjoying a great deal of popularity as the patron saint of musicians and churches.

The tower and entrance of Padre Jesús is gothic having been part of the original church, the remainder is renaissance period.

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