Iglesia de la Asunción (Jorcas)

Among the numerous monuments of Teruel that captivate with their architecture and history, there is the Iglesia de la Asunción, a parish church located in the town of Jorcas. This church is part of the Parque Cultural del Chopo Cabecero del Alto Alfambra, a protected area due to its cultural and natural value. The church was built in the 16th century in the Gothic Levantine style, that is, Gothic with Renaissance influences, typical for the region of Valencia and Aragon.




The church has a single nave with four sections and a polygonal presbytery, covered with cross-ribbed vaults with stars. In the 18th century, the interior was renovated and decorated with paintings and stucco in the Rococo style. On the side walls, there are paintings depicting scenes from the life of Mary and the saints, and in the main altar, there is a painting of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the patroness of the church. On the choir, a valuable organ from the 18th century has been preserved, which is one of the best preserved in the province of Teruel.




On the outside of the church, the portada, or entrance portal, made in the Mannerist style, stands out. This portal has two floors and a triangular pediment, and on its facade, remnants of polychromy are visible. The portal is decorated with plant, geometric, and heraldic motifs, as well as figures of angels and saints. In particular, on the first floor, there are statues of St. Peter Nolasco and St. Raymond of Penyafort, founders of the Mercedarian order, to which the monastery from which the portal comes belonged.




Next to the church, there is a bell tower, built of stone and brick. The tower has three floors, of which the two lower ones are rectangular, and the upper one is octagonal. The tower is topped with a tent roof with a ball and a cross at the top. On each floor, there are windows through which the sounds of the bells penetrate, which play an important role in the religious and social life of the community.