Iglesia Parroquial de Nuestra Señora de la Granada

The Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de la Granada is a parish church in Llerena, in the province of Badajoz, located in the Plaza de España, within the historic center of the town. It is usually identified as Iglesia Mayor de Nuestra Señora de la Granada and is one of the most prominent heritage landmarks of the municipality. Its construction was a long process that took place from the beginning of the 14th century until the 18th century. The sources consulted describe it as a building with a Gothic-Mudejar base, to which later contributions of Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo styles were incorporated, which explains its remarkable architectural heterogeneity. The local tradition and the tourist bibliography point out its foundation linked to the master Garcí Fernández de Villagarcía between 1385 and 1387. Among the preserved and documented elements are the first two bodies of the tower, the chapel of the Zapata or San Juan Bautista and the Prior's chapel. It is also described as a hall church, with three naves of similar height, as a result of the transformations of the primitive medieval construction. In the historical context of Llerena, the temple reflects the religious and artistic evolution of a town with important weight of the Order of Santiago. Its patrimonial value is reinforced by its integration in the historical-artistic group of the town and by its consideration as one of the most representative religious monuments of Extremadura.