Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Consuelo

The Church of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo dominates the skyline of Altea's old town from the top of the village, crowned by two blue-and-white ceramic domes that have become the town's best-known image. The current neo-Baroque building was consecrated in 1910, though a parish church has stood on the site for centuries.

From fortress to neo-Baroque church

The first church was built between 1607 and 1617, folded into the village's walled defences and built plainly rather than ornamentally; it gained parish status in 1640. Over the following centuries that original building grew too small and fell into gradual disrepair, until a larger replacement was planned in the early 20th century: a bigger church crowned by two domes covered in deep-blue glazed tiles, hand-made in local ceramic workshops using a glazing technique that holds up well against the Mediterranean climate.

The square in front of the church is one of Altea's most visited viewpoints, looking out over the sea, the white façades of the old town and the narrow streets that drop down toward the seafront, many of them lined with bougainvillea. It also doubles as one of the village's main meeting points, ringed by terraces and small shops.

The church is a short walk from Playa La Roda and makes a good starting point for exploring the rest of the municipality, from the Serra Gelada Natural Park to hiking routes such as the Forat de Bernia. The village of Altea is easy to explore on foot from here.