Tower and Hermitage of San Miguel
More than an isolated monument, this complex is an architectural puzzle that tells the story of the town. It stands on the “ghost” of the old parish of Santa Marina, a 14th-century temple whose remains today serve as the foundation for what we see.
The architecture of the place is a fascinating dialogue between eras. The base is purely Gothic-Mudejar, but the 17th and 18th centuries brought an aesthetic renewal that dressed the building with the elegance of the Renaissance and the exuberance of the Baroque. It is a building that did not settle for a single style, but evolved with the taste of its parishioners.
Observing the western nave, this contrast is perceived masterfully. On the one hand, a stone ribbed vault speaks of its sober medieval past; on the other, a brick dome added in the 17th century breaks that austerity with polychrome plaster angels and hexagonal coffers, an explosion of color and shape typical of the Baroque.
The tower is perhaps the most emblematic element. Although its rectangular plan reveals its origin in the 14th century, what dominates the skyline of Villafranca today is its Renaissance bell tower, accessed by a stone spiral staircase hidden on the side, like a secret spine linking the past with the present.
A heritage rescued by its neighbors
What we see today looks splendid thanks to a recent and very special intervention. Between 2013 and 2014, it was not a large external company, but an employment workshop promoted by the City Council itself that brought the complex back to life. It was local hands that cleaned the walls and recovered the lost details, turning the restoration into an act of community pride.
