Alfacar’s Church of the Assumption of Our Lady dates back to the middle of the 16th century. It was built following the demolition of the previous church in 1557. The old church had been erected on the same site as a Moorish mosque, which was sacralised after the Catholic Monarchs ordered the purification of these temples.
Initially, it was dedicated to the Advocation of Saint Mary of the Angels.
The materials used in its construction were travertine stones from the local quarries. These stones were also used in the construction of the Granada’s Cathedral. The use of these stones was not common in Mudéjar churches in Granada. The stonemason, Sancho De Venero, is known to have been involved in the construction of the church. The church has a single rectangular nave with a large main arch that delimits the presbytery. The bell tower is rectangular in shape. It is covered with a Mudejar coffered ceiling.
On the outside, there is a masonry structure. The side doorway is the main door and is framed by pilaster mouldings and a semicircular arch. In the upper part, there is a tondo, whose function was to house the image of the Virgin of the Assumption. There is also a heraldic coat of arms belonging to Archbishop Don Pedro Nuño de Guevara from the 16th century.
The other doorway is decorated with heraldic motifs and crowned with an oculus at the top. Although the façades are simply decorated, they are distinguished by their polished stonework.
In the corner between the two portals is an anecdotal sundial.
The roof above the High Altar is octagonal with a square floor plan, has double ridges and is completely covered with strapwork. The master carpenters were Lázaro in 1546 and Martín de Escobar in 1549.
On entering the church, we can see the whitewashed side walls and at the back, in the presbytery and in the main arch, the uncovered stone. This is because the decision was made to uncover the stone in some sections when the church was last renovated. The walls were originally stone ashlars but were later whitewashed and the ceilings were covered with reed and plaster.
The Church of the Assumption contains a wide variety of works of art, including a 16th century Christ on the Cross, four paintings from the 17th century Granada school in the main chapel, the main altarpiece, the Eucharist altarpiece with the image of the Immaculate Conception and an 18th century sculpture of Saint Anthony.
