MONUMENTS

Parroquia de San Juan Bautista

The oldest of the town that is still preserved, it was built in 1567 with an obvious Hospitaller imprint, not only for its title (Saint John) but for its impressive size. With hardly any decoration, it is the perfect example of the knight's ideology, still marked by its military character, it is more like a church-fortress than a place of worship.

As the traveller will be able to appreciate, the architecture of Consuegra’ s main buildings are characterized by the absence of frills and its pronounced sobriety. The control exercised by the Order of St. John of Jerusalem from Consuegra (it was the capital of the priory) permeates the entire region. Churches and other buildings share characteristics related to the typical military order values. In the case of St. John, perhaps the largest church in the surrounding area, can be seen in its prominent verticality, the good workmanship of its materials and the feeling of rectitude and integrity.

It is in a very attractive and comfortable place, on the banks of the Amarguillo river (the river that crosses Consuegra), it is surrounded by parks and gardens, as well as beautiful walk areas that are located on both sides of the river. The square to which it gives its name has a fountain and a statue dedicated to the Hospitaller knights, made by a local sculptor.

Its design is simple Latin Castilian Mudéjar style, and it is remarkable the bell tower located at the foot of the temple, as well as the dome in the transept. In some of its walls you can appreciate the materials coming from other buildings or older temples. Inside, a monumental shell crowns an impressive painting of Saint John the Baptist in the apse.

The doors of the choir and the sacristy are of classical style. From the inside, you can appreciate its robustness and height, as well as its dome, that is crowned with the eight-pointed white star on a red background, a symbol that the visitor will find everywhere in Consuegra, as it is the insignia of the Order and represents the eight beatitudes.