Colegiata de Santa María del Mercado

The Collegiate Church of Santa María del Mercado is a collegiate church in Berlanga de Duero, in the province of Soria, located in the historic center of the town, in the area of the Plaza de San Andrés. It is one of the main heritage monuments of the municipality and has been declared a Historic-Artistic Monument since 1931, with the equivalent protection of a Property of Cultural Interest. Its construction corresponds to the sixteenth century, between 1526 and 1530, and responds to a time of religious reorganization of the town, when several medieval parishes were unified into a single collegiate church. The work is attributed to the master stonemason Juan de Rasines and is part of a transitional aesthetic between the late Gothic and Renaissance, with Gothic-Renaissance or late Gothic features. Architecturally it stands out for its large scale and the typology of a hall church, with three naves of great height and transept, supported by cylindrical columns. The spaciousness and luminosity of the interior are one of its best known features, along with the richness of its vaults and side chapels. In its interior the High Altar stands out, presided by the late Romanesque carving of Our Lady of the Market, dated in the 12th century. Also mentioned as singular elements are some altarpieces and noble tombs, especially those linked to the side chapels, which reflect the religious and stately importance of the collegiate church in the history of Berlanga de Duero.