El Club · Chinchón

Built in the Baroque style, this chapel—with its brick façade and linteled doorway—was once the church of the former Hospital de la Misericordia, founded in the 17th century. Inside, it features a single nave and an altarpiece depicting Our Lady of Mercy. Above the altarpiece hangs a high-quality, anonymous 17th-century painting depicting Saint Lucy. Following the state’s confiscation of religious property, it was closed to worship for many years and used for other purposes. In 1906, it was restored and worship resumed, leading to the creation of the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Mercy. The festival in her honor is celebrated every year on the first Sunday in September.

Adjacent to the current Parador hotel stands the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, which historically belonged to the Convent of St. Augustine. Like the entire complex, the church is Baroque in style. It consists of a single nave with side chapels, which were used as prison cells when the convent was converted into a jail during the Spanish Civil War. Notable are the vividly colored Baroque frescoes on the right side of the transept, featuring scrollwork, leaves, columns, and other decorative elements. In 1846, it was dedicated to the veneration of Our Lady of the Rosary. The church had a beautiful Baroque altarpiece as its high altar, which was destroyed by fire in October 1929, though the image of the Virgin remained unharmed. The feast day is celebrated annually on the third weekend of September.

Built in the 18th century on the site of an earlier 11th-century Romanesque church, it was likely the oldest religious building in the town of Chinchón. It features three altarpieces: one dedicated to Our Lady of Los Remedios, one to Saint Anthony, and one to Saint Stephen. It has a nave that ends in a semicircular Romanesque apse; on the exterior, one can see the typical corbels of this style supporting the eaves.

It is dedicated to Saint Roch, the city’s patron saint. Its construction dates back to the first half of the 16th century. It features Baroque architecture, with brick walls and masonry work very similar to that of Our Lady of Mercy. This chapel has two altarpieces inside, one featuring the image of Our Lady of Grace, the city’s patron saint, and a larger one with an excellent carving of Saint Roch from 1716. Also on display inside is a magnificent banner from 1744, embroidered in gold and silver, featuring the image of the saint. The patron saint festivities are held in his honor around August 16 each year.

This parish church houses an original painting by Francisco de Goya on its altar. Construction began in 1534 but was not completed until 1626. Inside, one can sense the passage of time through the architectural styles that have shaped it: Gothic, Plateresque, Renaissance, and Baroque. The church suffered significant damage during the War of Independence, which primarily affected the roof and the ornamentation. Francisco de Goya painted a canvas to decorate the church, “The Assumption of the Virgin,” which was placed at the center of the main altar in 1812 at the request of his brother Camilo, the chaplain of this church.

Laguna de la Espadaña, also known as Laguna de San Galindo, is a freshwater body of karstic origin located on the banks of the Tajuña River, in the municipality of Chinchón, Community of Madrid. It was formed by the dissolution of underlying gypsum, which created small collapsed sinkholes, resulting in depressions on the terrace that retain water. With a wetland area of 2.25 hectares and a protected zone of 3.79 hectares, this site features extensive reed beds surrounding the body of water, characteristic of the temporary wetlands of the Tagus River basin. From the observation point, one can see a wetland of great ecological value nestled within a vast agricultural area, where the body of water contrasts with the tree groves and reed beds. The lagoon serves as a wildlife refuge and roosting site for species such as western jackdaws, black starlings, yellowhammers, and magpies, making it one of the few sites in the basin that has remained untouched by conversion to farmland. Its importance is confirmed by its inclusion in the Community of Madrid’s catalog of protected reservoirs and wetlands under Law 7/1990. The best time to visit this area is in the spring and fall, when the activity of migratory and nesting birds is at its peak and viewing conditions are optimal. The appearance of the wetland changes significantly depending on rainfall and the season, and it is particularly interesting after periods of precipitation that raise the water level. Its inclusion in local nature guides highlights its ornithological interest and its value as a unique wetland ecosystem in the Tajuña River basin.

The San Galindo Lagoon is a natural karst wetland formed by the dissolution of underlying gypsum deposits, which create small collapsed sinkholes. It is located in the municipality of Chinchón, at an elevation of 520 meters in the Tagus River basin, specifically the Tajuña subbasin. With a wetland area of 2.25 hectares and a protected zone of 3.79 hectares, it consists of a body of water with a rounded outline, surrounded by extensive reed beds and wooded groves, located just 200 meters from the right bank of the Tajuña River. This wetland is significant for its wildlife and landscape, serving as a refuge for migratory and nesting birds, and is one of the few sites in the basin that remains untouched by conversion to farmland. Also known as “La Espadaña,” it is included in the Community of Madrid’s catalog of protected reservoirs and wetlands under Law 7/1990, and is partially included in the Natura 2000 Network as the Special Area of Conservation “Vegas, Cuestas, and Páramos of Southeast Madrid.” The best time to visit is in spring or fall, when birdlife is most active and the reed beds are at their densest.

Laguna de San Juan is a natural wetland in the municipality of Chinchón, in the surroundings of the Tajuña valley, considered by the City Council as the most important and characteristic wetland of the municipality. It has an area of about 40 hectares and is listed as a Wildlife Refuge and Protected Natural Area by Decree 5/1991 of the Community of Madrid, with a special value for the conservation of fauna, flora and landscape. Its origin is natural and its dynamics depends on subway contributions and rainfall; several sources also describe it as a temporary lagoon or very conditioned by clogging and restoration work carried out in the past. The most interesting thing for the visitor is the open view over a sheet of water framed by reeds, rushes, bulrushes and gypsiferous reliefs of the environment, a landscape very different from the nearby agricultural countryside. It is a very popular spot for bird watching, as it concentrates aquatic species and riverside passerines, and has bird observatories and interpretive panels. It also appears in informative and hiking routes along the stretch between Titulcia and Chinchón. Its interest lies in the fact that it summarizes well the recovery of a wetland in Madrid: biodiversity, legal protection and reading of the landscape. The best time to visit it is usually spring and autumn, when the water level and bird activity are usually more favorable for observation, although the temporary nature of the wetland makes its appearance varies considerably depending on the rains.

The Laguna de San Juan is a wetland of natural origin located between Chinchón and Titulcia, in the lower course of the Tajuña River, with an area that local sources place at around 40-47 hectares and a temporary character, linked to groundwater and rainwater. It is a protected area of the Community of Madrid, declared a Fauna Refuge in 1991, with a remarkable diversity of reed beds, cattails and other marsh plants. From its observatories there is a wide view of the water, the perimeter reeds and the smooth reliefs and gypsiferous cliffs of the environment, a landscape of transition between meadows, drylands and slopes that is especially interesting for the observation of waterfowl and migratory birds. The enclave is known for its biological and educational value, and the municipality of Chinchón highlights it as the most important wetland of the municipality and one of the main bird reserves of the Community of Madrid.[14 The lagoon appears in local and nature guides for its ornithological interest and for the environmental restoration that allowed the recovery of a space that had become very degraded. The best time to visit it is usually spring and autumn, when there is more bird activity and better conditions for observation; being a wetland of variable water, the appearance of the place changes a lot depending on the rains and the season.

The Chinchón Tourist Office is a municipal tourist information office located in the Plaza Mayor, in the former Municipal Laundry, in Chinchón (Madrid), at coordinates 40.14033, -3.42330. It was inaugurated in 2001 and serves as a visitor center to provide brochures, guidance, and practical information on the municipality’s tourist attractions and activities. It is not a historical monument in itself, but rather a tourist facility housed in a repurposed heritage building: the former municipal washhouse. Its value lies in its role as a welcoming hub and interpretive center for the urban landscape of Chinchón, one of the main heritage destinations in the Community of Madrid. Its location in the Plaza Mayor places it at the heart of the town’s historic center, serving as the starting point for tours of the local heritage. The information available makes it one of the most important points of reference for visitors, given its role in promoting the town’s routes, heritage, and cultural activities.

An ethnological museum showcasing the life and traditions of Chinchón. It is located in an old inn founded in the early 19th century to accommodate harvesters, mule drivers, and travelers passing through. The numerous rooms and spaces on display evoke bygone eras when rural inhabitants used their ingenuity to build and adapt machines, utensils, and tools to their daily work, making their “chores” more bearable… Shadowy alcoves, picturesque kitchens, farming implements, and old machinery used to distill the famous Chinchón anise liqueur…

Founded by the 4th Count of Chinchón, Luis Jerónimo Fernández de Cabrera, in the 17th century, it is constructed of brick and recessed masonry. During the War of the Spanish Succession, it served as a temporary residence for Archduke Charles. Over time, it became a center for humanistic education during the 18th and 19th centuries, offering courses in theology, grammar, and Latin. After Mendizábal’s confiscation, it served as the district court until the early 20th century. The section formerly occupied by the monks is now the Parador de Turismo de Chinchón.

A historic theater featuring a curtain painted by Luis Muriel depicting scenes of the city. It was built on the ruins of the former Palace of the Counts, which was sadly destroyed following the War of Spanish Succession. It bears this name because the author wrote and signed the comedy “El Blasón de los Chaves de Villalba” in Chinchón while staying at the Palace with the Counts of Chinchón. It was built in 1891 by the Society of Winegrowers. The façade is Renaissance-style, and inside, a fantastic canvas depicting views and allegories of the city—which serves as a backdrop—stands out; it is the work of Luis Muriel. It has a capacity for 325 people, and its structure resembles a typical courtyard. In the entrance hall, you can see a plaque honoring the well-known actor José Sacristán, who was born in Chinchón.