Category: Rociana del Condado

Located in the heart of Rociana del Condado, the Parish Church of San Bartolomé is the most prominent building in the municipality, both for its location and its size. Dedicated to the patron saint of the town, Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, its presence stands out both for its historical value and its architectural and devotional significance.

The building dates back to the 17th century, when it was a Mudejar parish church that was lost after the civil war. Although it has undergone successive renovations and extensions over time, its style is neo-baroque and dates back to the mid-20th century, more specifically around 1936-1958. The new church is much larger than the previous one and was designed by the architect Pérez Carasa, one of the revelations in Huelva architecture in the second third of the 20th century. He was inspired by the aesthetics of existing churches in neighbouring towns, such as La Palma del Condado. This construction allowed the architect to develop his interest in the style of the Baroque architect Pedro de Silva. Pérez Carasa chose brick as the building and decorative material and designed a basilica-style floor plan with three naves, the central one larger than the side ones, which forms a Latin cross together with the transept, with its left arm extended to house the sacramental chapel.

At the foot of the building is the tower, located on the Gospel side, followed by three sections of the side nave with semicircular arches. These are framed by large pilasters topped with Corinthian capitals. The nave is covered by a vaulted ceiling and is not very high. Here we find the altar of the Souls, the altarpiece of Saint Anthony and, past the side door, the altarpiece of Our Lady of the Rosary. On the epistle side is the baptismal chapel, a small enclosure covered by an octagonal dome resting on pendentives, which houses the baptismal font and a niche with the image of Mary Help of Christians. This is followed by three more sections of arches, as in the opposite nave. This chapel is also covered by three low barrel vaults. In this nave, we find the altar of Nuestra Señora del Rocío, the altarpiece of Nuestra Señora del Carmen and, past the door, the altar dedicated to Nuestra Señora del Pilar.

In the transept, there is a half-orange vault on pendentives supported by four strong pillars, which are polygonal in section and each of the faces is decorated with boxed pilasters. These, in turn, are topped by schematic Corinthian capitals. This same compositional scheme is repeated throughout the interior of the building. The ornamental richness of the altar and the harmony of its proportions reinforce the liturgical and symbolic importance of the temple within the municipality.

The Church of San Bartolomé is not only a place of worship, but also the epicentre of the main religious celebrations in the Rocianero calendar. Processions depart from here, important liturgical events are celebrated, and parish activities that articulate the religious life of the community take place.
In addition to its use as a parish church, it is a valuable example of the artistic and architectural heritage of the County of Huelva, forming part of the tourist and cultural routes that criss-cross the region.

This building dates back to the 18th century and is an example of late Neo-Mudéjar architecture, which makes use of brick in its construction style, highlighting its façade. It has an ogival door and is topped by a frieze of blind pointed and interlaced arches. It is crowned by a two-section belfry with bells. Its interior has a hall-like layout and the roof is Mudéjar in style. Inside, it houses frescoes by local painter Antonio Paniagua.

The chapel has a small porch with a fountain, symbolising the cross it houses. This chapel is the seat of the Holy Cross of Calle La Fuente, one of the nine May Crosses of Rociana del Condado.
After the Civil War, the building was used as a girls’ school. In 1978, the chapel was ceded to the Brotherhood of the Cross of Calle La Fuente, which restored it and acquired the image of Saint Sebastian that same year. Between 1993 and 1994, the chapel underwent renovation, replacing its old façade with the current one.

The Chapel of Nuestra Señora del Socorro is located on Socorro Street in Rociana del Condado and is one of the main places of worship in the municipality. Inside, the Virgin of Socorro, patron saint of the town, is venerated. Her image presides over the altar and is the centre of an intense religious and festive life.

The current building is of recent construction and was built on the site of an old chapel. With its sober and functional lines, its design responds to the liturgical and devotional needs of the community, remaining an open and active space throughout the year.

The chapel plays a prominent role in the patron saint festivities. The novena prior to 8th September, the feast day of the Virgen del Socorro, is celebrated there, and the simpecado (a religious banner) departs from and returns to the chapel during the traditional pilgrimage that takes place at the end of the same month. These events, deeply rooted in the popular sentiment of Los Rozaos, consolidate the chapel as a spiritual and cultural landmark.

The historic centre of Rociana del Condado, declared a Site of Cultural Interest (BIC) in 2002, is the oldest and most representative part of this municipality in Huelva. Its urban layout, characterised by narrow, winding streets, reflects the historical evolution of the town and its adaptation to the terrain. The predominant dwellings are single-storey detached houses with simple brick façades and Arabic tiles, and rear courtyards enclosed by brick walls, organised around these courtyards which provide light and ventilation.

The La Hacienda building, an 18th-century construction located in the square of the same name, is particularly noteworthy. Rectangular in shape, it stands out for its high walls and the presence of two old mills in the corners, with characteristic conical tops. Originally owned by the Dukes of Medina Sidonia, it passed through various hands until, in 1990, part of the building was acquired by the Town Council, restored and used as the municipal headquarters between 1992 and 1994. It currently houses the Municipal Public Library.

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/w7SYNgvQXkrvu6KB9

Also noteworthy is the Town Hall building, dating from around the 18th century. It is Baroque in style and is located next to the parish church, preserving the classic location of civil power alongside religious power. It has a rectangular floor plan and its two-storey façade stands out, with the same compositional scheme in the lower part as in the upper part. It is divided into five sections alternating windows with rows of three arches. The building is topped by a balustrade, broken only by the clock tower in the centre of the building. Although the building dates from the 18th century, it underwent a major renovation in 1940, giving it its current, more classical appearance. The wrought ironwork on the balconies and windows and the ceramics inside are particularly noteworthy.

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/9kr5muR3isC3t12Y

Finally, it is worth visiting Calle Jesús Nazareno, Calle Sevilla and Calle Amargura, which form part of the historic urban fabric of Rociana del Condado. Calle Sevilla stands out for its imposing stately homes, the result of the wine industry’s prosperity in the early 20th century. Among them, the Casa de las Lositas, built in 1911, stands out for its façade decorated with small green tiles and its elaborate ironwork. This street, with its traditional architecture and its importance in local festivities, is a symbol of Rociana’s pride. These streets, with their architectural richness and importance in the cultural and religious life of Rociana del Condado, are essential to understanding the identity and history of the town.

A simple chapel built on the street that bears its name, very close to the Church of San Bartolomé. It is small in size and the façade resembles a simple wall topped by a cornice in the style of a belfry. It has an entrance door from which you can see the cross, on which is inscribed the date ‘1970’ and a legend that reads ‘Chapel of the Holy Cross. It is a building donated by Rafael López Muñoz’ and the entire façade is decorated with tiles.

It is the seat of the Cross that bears its name, which is carried in procession to the Church but does not celebrate its own festival.

The Santa Cruz de Arriba is one of the crosses celebrated during the month of May in Rociana. This devotion began in neighbouring houses, as with the other crosses, and it was not until 1969 that a chapel was built for it.

The small chapel is located near the exit to Bollullos Par del Condado. The façade is richly decorated in the Baroque style. It is divided into two parts: first, a wide entrance door and, second, a small belfry with a bell.

At the bottom is a wide entrance door formed by a semicircular arch, the extrados of which is decorated with a simple moulding ending in a geometric star. On both sides, it is framed by two pilasters ending in triglyphs; in the space between the entrance door and the pilasters, two plaques have been placed: the one on the left reads ‘D. Andrés Ramos López donated the site of this chapel to Santa Cruz de Arriba in 1969’. The plaque on the right reads: ‘Built in 1969, it was rebuilt and the bell was installed in 1980, by all the brothers’.

The upper part of the building is supported by a frieze-like base with blind poly-lobed arches. Above this is the Baroque-influenced belfry, which houses a bell. This is framed by two pilasters and topped by a pediment, finished with a wrought iron cross, next to which are two split truncated pyramids. The same can be seen at the ends of the façade.