The Basilica of Santa Maria

The basilica of Santa María, in Alicante

The basilica of Santa María is the oldest church of Alicante, raised in the thirteenth century in the Valencian Gothic style, on the vestiges of a former mosque. The Alicante audio-guided tour stops here, with respect, to evoke this place of worship laden with history, with its fine baroque façade, witness of the seven centuries of Muslim presence in the Iberian peninsula and of the Reconquest.

The oldest church of the town

You arrive in front of the fine façade of the basilica of Santa María, the oldest church of Alicante. It was built in the thirteenth century, in a Valencian Gothic style. If the façade you see is evidently baroque, it is because the building was rebuilt after having been damaged over time. Just like the co-cathedral San Nicolás de Bari, the basilica of Santa María rises on the vestiges of a former mosque. It is necessary to remember, with gravity, that the Iberian peninsula was under Muslim domination for nearly seven centuries: this period begins with the conquest of the Visigothic kingdom in 711 and ends with the fall of Granada, the last bastion during the Reconquest led by the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, in 1492. Seven hundred years of Muslim presence deeply marked Spain, bequeathing to it splendid architectural currents. Alicante, then named Al-Laquant, belonged to the Muslims from 718 to 1248, and its mosques were transformed into churches during the Reconquest, like the one before your eyes. The basilica is distinguished by its fine portal made by Bautista Borja and, inside, by the impressive rococo high altar, its various chapels and its enormous baptismal font of Carrara marble. It has been classified as a Spanish asset of cultural interest since 1983. An ancient sanctuary and a witness of history, the basilica of Santa María is discovered with respect.

What to see

Here you discover, with respect, the oldest church of Alicante, raised in the thirteenth century in the Valencian Gothic style on the vestiges of a former mosque, with its fine baroque façade; inside, the portal of Bautista Borja, the impressive rococo high altar, the chapels and the baptismal font of Carrara marble. Classified as an asset of cultural interest since 1983, the basilica of Santa María is a witness of the history of Alicante. It is a stop to be discovered with respect.

Practical information

The basilica of Santa María lies in the old town of Alicante, reachable on foot. A place of worship, it can be visited with respect; entry and hours follow the conditions of the parish, which vary. It is best to enquire before coming and to respect the sacred character of the place.

Why is the basilica of Santa María important in Alicante?

Because it is the oldest church of the town, raised in the thirteenth century in the Valencian Gothic style on the vestiges of a former mosque, witness of the seven centuries of Muslim presence and of the Reconquest; with its fine baroque façade, it shelters a rococo high altar and a baptismal font of Carrara marble, and is classified as an asset of cultural interest since 1983.

Where is the basilica of Santa María in Alicante?

In the old town of Alicante, in Spain.