Basílica de Santa María

The Basílica de Santa María stands on the site of the former main mosque of Elche, consecrated for Christian worship in 1265 by Alfonso X the Wise after the conquest. The current building replaced an earlier Gothic church built on the same ruins, with construction running from 1672 to 1784, a project that stretched across more than a century and combines an Italian-influenced Baroque facade, Rococo doorways and a Neoclassical interior that contrasts with the decorative exuberance outside.

The privilege of the Misteri

Since 1632, when Pope Urban VIII's Apostolic Chamber granted the privilege, the Basílica has been the only church authorised to stage the Misteri d'Elx inside its walls, the medieval sacred drama recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The performance is staged every year on 14 and 15 August, timed to the Feast of the Assumption, and the staging and machinery it needs stay installed in the dome over the transept for much of the year. In 1951, the church was granted the title of minor basilica in recognition of its religious and artistic value.

Visiting

Beyond the facade and dome, it's worth climbing the bell tower, which gives one of the best views over the Palmeral and the rest of the historic centre. The Basílica sits a short walk from the Museo Arqueológico e Histórico de Elche, housed in the old Palacio de Altamira, and the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Elche, making it easy to combine all three on the same walk through the centre.