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The Church Fortress of Santa Caterina
- Església fortalesa de Santa Caterina |
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This building served two purposes - religious and defensive - and
is without doubt one of the most important edifices in the municipality.
In 1562 the Italian engineer J.B. Antonelli oversaw the fortification
of the church against constant attacks by Berber pirates. The construction
of this magnificent building took 35-40 years to complete, the burden
of which was undertaken by the inhabitants of Teulada: in1574 for
example, over 600 townspeople worked on this project.
The church consists of a basic building plus a series of extensions
that date from the 18th Century to modern times. The basic section
of the parish church dates from the 16th Century and consists of
an east facing nave, with altars between the pilasters. The crypt
is formed by a number of crossed arches and a five sided apse supports
the star studded cupola.
The first extension took place around the 18th Century, reputedly
to prolong the old floor in the form of a latin cross; this was
lost when defense charactaristics were added to the church. Between
the 19th and 20th Centuries the communion chapel was built, as well
as various auxilliary buildings annexed to the vestry. The old round
tower was replaced by the new hexagonal bell tower, which is constructed
from ashlars (large square cut stones): the base is 24 metres in
diameter and the tower stands 30 metres high.
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Hermitage Chapel of the Divine Sheperdess
- Ermita Divina Pastora |
| The chapel is located
alongside the Santa Catalina parish church. Its construction date
is unknown, but the chapel was renovated in 1861 and the bell installed
in the bell tower in the 1870s. In 1986 restoration work was carried
out on part of the bell tower's facade and cover. The chapel, and
its flat pointed bell tower, is baroque in style but the gate is
from the Renaissance period.
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Sala de Jurats i Justicies |
The Sala de Jurats i Justícies were
constructed in the second decade of the 17th Century, when the city
was undergoing a period of urban, ecological and demographic expansion.
The roof´s border shows the numerals 1620, which is probably
the date when the building was completed. Restoration and remodelling
of the building has taken place in subsequent years. At the beginning
of the 20th Century rooms' columnar arches were regularly bricked
up and re-opened, depending upon which party was in power. The Jurats
i Justícies is a good example of 17th Century architecture.
It is rectangular in shape, has a south facing vista and is constructed
from tufa (a porous, calcium based rock). In1639 a sundial was installed
in order to make full use of the building's favorable situation.
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Hermitage Chapel of Sant Vicent Ferrer |
This chapel was constructed in the second half of the
18th Century, from 1767 onwards. In 1793 Don Blai Estruc planned and
painted the chapel's interior, which was blessed on 29 March 1797
by the then rector of Teulada, Dr. Juan Martínez. The chapel
has a rectangular floor of 16 metres by 19 metres, and is constructed
from sandstone. The dome is characterised by a combination of multicoloured
roofing tiles (blue, green and white), which contrast wonderfully
with the plain whiteness of the chapel. On the altar stands a 16th
Century portrait of the Holy One, Vincent Ferrer, as well as a statue
of the Eternal Father (which is possibly all that remains of the original
altarpiece).
By the chapel, some 17m away, is a further smaller chapel with a
pyramid-shaped roof. According to legend, it is here that Vincent
Ferrer preached when he said goodbye to his people. Inside the chapel
hangs a pictorial representation of this historical event, painted
in1985 by Paloma Maynar.
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Hermitage Chapel of the Font Santa
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 On
the road from Teulada to Moraira lies the chapel of the Font Santa,
which is dedicated to the holy Vincent Ferrer. Beside the actual
chapel, and in the same building, water can be seen leaking through
the rockface. According to legend, in the 15th Century Vincent Ferrer,
on request of Sister Constança who lived in Teulada, performed
a miracle by causing water to gush from the  stone.
Since then water constantly drips from this source, irrespective
of the level of rainfall in the area.
Each year, on the first Sunday in July, the traditional Fiesta
of the Font Santa is celebrated around the chapel.
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