Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Ancient

He Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Ancient It is located about 5 km from Villanueva de los Infantes, on the right bank of Jabalón River. Its location, in a valley and gentle hills, invites you to combine the visit with the landscape: a quiet walk around allows you to understand the relationship between devotion, rural paths and traditional use of the territory.

This place is one of the great religious landmarks of the town and the territory, with a long history that has its roots in Roman and Islamic periods. On this site, the The Order of Santiago founded a first village; after its abandonment in the 14th century, the church and the Image of the Virgin of Antigua, dating from the 13th century.

The visit reveals a well-maintained and highly legible building. Outside, the stonework, lintel doorway, and iron balcony lead to the trapezoidal, arcaded courtyard. Inside, a single nave covered with a barrel vault rests on transverse arches and Tuscan pilasters, and is crowned with a Baroque altarpiece featuring Solomonic columns and the coat of arms of Saint James. The niche houses the polychrome carving of the Virgin with the Child on her lap, the highlight of the tour.