Ermita del Calvario (de Jesús Nazareno)

The Ermita del Calvario crowns a low hill at the entrance to Jávea, on the road in from Denia, and is one of the first religious buildings visitors see on arrival. The original, much more modest hermitage went up in 1770; the building seen today is the result of a rebuild carried out between 1849 and 1857 that expanded and transformed its appearance completely.

History

The image of Jesús Nazareno venerated inside arrived in Jávea in 1767 from the port of Alicante, and it has been the object of popular devotion ever since, a tradition now running more than two and a half centuries. The figure holds the honorary title of Perpetual Mayor of the municipality, an unusual distinction among religious images in the region. It is also the central figure of Holy Week, when it leaves the hermitage in procession through the streets accompanied by a large part of the town.

Architecture

In plan, the building follows a Greek-cross layout topped by a dome on pendentives covered in glazed blue tiles, a striking treatment for a building this size. The façade combines several overlapping geometric shapes, an unusual design among the hermitages of the area. Because it sits beside the road into town rather than on top of a hill, as most of Jávea's hermitages do, it can be reached without much walking or climbing.

Nearby

From the hillock, much of the Casco Antiguo of Jávea is already visible, a few minutes away by car. Another hermitage in the municipality, the Ermita del Pópul, has a much older origin, dating to the 14th century, and sits out in open countryside on the opposite side of town. Outside religious services it keeps no fixed opening hours, so it's worth checking whether it's open before making the trip, though the exterior and the view over town already justify the stop.