Located on a hill overlooking the town, the Church of St. John the Baptist is a majestic example of 16th-century Renaissance architecture. Its design is attributed to the notorious architect Juan de Herrera, who likely built it at the same time as the El Escorial Monastery.
The construction of this church at the end of the Renaissance period was carried out under the patronage of the Duke of Infantado. Its Latin cross floor plan is complemented by a tower and belfry. The tower, which lost its spire in 1903, was topped with a brick body that houses the bells and the clock, while the rest of the structure is stonework with strips of brick. The church features stonework elements, reinforced with ashlars at the corners, skirtings, lintels and mouldings. The Sacristy and the Chapel of St. Joseph are attached to the central body of the church.
On the outside, an inscription on the arch of the transept states the years in which the Chapel of the Holy Christ of Ecce Homo was built, dated from 1593 to 1607, which has now been repurposed. The inside of the church features a single nave enclosed by Tuscan pilasters and semicircular arches, covered by a barrel vault with lunettes.
At the bottom of the nave is a choir that sits atop three stone arches, where the traditional Mayos songs are sung to the Virgin Mary on 30 April every year. This church, with its powerful presence and rich history, remains a symbol of the region’s devotion and architecture.
