Organ Route

One of the most unique and enriching routes in the entire region. Ideal for lovers of music, art, and heritage, it winds through the heart of Campo de Montiel, connecting five churches that have preserved instruments of exceptional historical and musical value, most of them built during the 18th century. A unique opportunity to discover how Baroque music filled the churches of La Mancha with life and sound during the time of the Order of Santiago.

Stop 1. Church of the Holy Christ of the Valley – San Carlos del Valle
We begin our route at the most striking Baroque complex in the region, known as the "Vatican of La Mancha." The church, built between 1713 and 1729 by Juan Alejandro Núñez de la Barrera for the Order of Santiago, originally boasted a large Baroque altarpiece covered in gold leaf and an organ, both of which were sadly lost during the Spanish Civil War. Today, the imposing Greek cross-plan church, with its 28-meter central dome and four octagonal towers reaching 47 meters, remains one of the finest examples of late Spanish Baroque architecture. The church and main square complex, declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1993, offers a unique glimpse into 18th-century architecture and urban planning in rural Spain.

Stop 2. Church of San Andrés – Villanueva de los Infantes
The Cathedral of Campo de Montiel. This monumental 16th-century Mannerist church, overlooking the Plaza Mayor with its imposing Neoclassical façade by Francisco Cano, houses a colossal Romantic organ from the Victorian era, built by Henry Speechly. The instrument, originally installed at the 1889 Paris Exposition, is a unique treasure in Spain, recently relocated to the church's central nave. The church is a Site of Cultural Interest and is also known for housing the crypt where the remains of Francisco de Quevedo, lord of the nearby Torre de Juan Abad, rest. Inside, a 16th-century Plateresque pulpit and the north and west portals, the work of Francisco Luna, father-in-law of Andrés de Vandelvira, are also preserved.

Stop 3. Church of Our Lady of the Assumption – Villahermosa
The largest Iberian Baroque organ in the province of Ciudad Real. Built in 1747 and restored in 2009, this instrument with 806 pipes and a rich trumpet repertoire stands atop a monumental wooden gallery formed by six sets of stepped pads carved with geometric figures. Its imposing polychrome pine case, with five valve chambers, was tuned in 1763 by Gaspar de la Redonda Zeballos himself, the same master who that year completed the organ in Torre de Juan Abad. The church that houses it is a jewel of late Gothic and Renaissance architecture, declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1991, with a single nave 49 meters long and 19 meters high. Since 2022, the restored instrument has been the star of an Organ Concert Series held every summer.

Stop 4. Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán – Terrinches
This historic organ, built in 1799 by García Herráiz and renovated between 2006 and 2009, is considered one of the three most important organs in the province, along with those in Torre de Juan Abad and Villahermosa. It is housed in a small gallery with large wooden beams and a balustrade, at the foot of the church, next to the choir. The church itself, dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, follows a fortress-like design and is a listed Building of Cultural Interest. Of particular note is its spectacular 17th-century Baroque altarpiece, made of gilded and polychrome wood, with panels depicting the life of Christ, and the striking coffered ceiling with floral decoration in the lower choir. The main portal dates from 1520.

Stop 5. Church of Our Lady of the Elms – Tower of John the Abbot
The jewel of the route. This 16th-century Renaissance church, declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 2023, houses the only preserved historic organ in the province of Ciudad Real and one of the few in the entire region. Built in 1763 by the master organ builder Gaspar de la Redonda Zeballos, it retains virtually all of its original parts, placing it among the eight best-sounding organs in Europe according to renowned studies. Its case is made of gilded and polychrome ebony, and its spectacular horizontal trumpet pipes are particularly noteworthy. Restored in 2001 by the master organ builder Alan Faye, the instrument has since hosted an International Concert Series that attracts leading organists from around the world. Some of its wooden pipes are covered with antique scores, including pages from Francisco Correa de Arauxo's Facultad Orgánica (1626). The temple also houses the Mannerist altarpiece by Francisco Cano (1589), the best preserved in the province, and two Baroque altarpieces by Cristóbal García Hidalgo (1759-1762).