A route of history and art

The Church of San Juan, originally from the 12th century, is a Romanesque temple with a single nave whose semicircular apse is still preserved with three semicircular arches and archivolts. Remodeled in the 16th century, it is remarkable for its noon doorway with rich sculptural decoration and the Gothic chapel of San Sebastián, from 1526, with a foundation inscription. Inside is a Plateresque tomb attributed to Don Juan de Daza, governor of the county of San Esteban de Gormaz. After the suppression of the parish in 1796 and its ruin in 1821, it was recovered in the sixties and today houses a museum of Art Brut.

The Church of Santa María la Mayor, in neoclassical style, was built in the early eighteenth century using elements of parishes already disappeared, such as San Millán and Santa María del Castillo. Its Latin cross plan is crowned by an imposing 40-meter bell tower with a belfry. The main doorway has fluted columns and a niche with the Virgin and the cross. Inside, the main chapel with older pieces and the majestic main altarpiece, from the convent of San Francisco, stand out. Today, the Christ of Santiago presides over this temple, an emblem of Ayllon's heritage.

The Church of San Miguel, located in the Plaza Mayor of Ayllón, is a 12th century Romanesque temple that reflects the historical importance of the town. Its cylindrical apse has foliated capitals and corbels under a braided cornice, while the façade stands out with Byzantine rosettes, zigzags and checkerboards. The belfry, reinforced in 1710, keeps bells that are silent today. Although it was deconsecrated in 1902, it preserves recumbent statues of D. Pedro Gutiérrez de César and his wife. Today, after its restoration, it hosts concerts, exhibitions, theatrical performances and the Tourist Office in summer.

The Contreras Palace, located in the Plaza del Cronista Artigas de Ayllón, welcomes the visitor with its imposing Elizabethan façade. Its ashlar façade, decorated with Franciscan cordon and three family coats of arms, stands out next to the Gothic inscription that recalls its construction in 1497 by Juan de Contreras. Although it is often attributed to Álvaro de Luna, there is no evidence of this. In the 17th century it passed to the Marquises of Villena. Declared a National Monument and Asset of Cultural Interest in 1969, it preserves coffered ceilings, a chapel and valuable artistic pieces, although today it is private property.

The Palace of Bishop Vellosillo, built at the end of the 16th century and inaugurated on September 29, 1598, is one of the most outstanding buildings in Ayllón. It belonged to Fernando de Vellosillo, nephew of the bishop of the same name, an illustrious figure who participated in the Council of Trent and was a royal advisor. Although it is speculated that the bishop himself ordered its erection, only the family coat of arms can be seen on its façade. After being acquired by the City Council between 1972 and 1983 and restored, it now houses the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Municipal Library, making it a cultural center of reference.

At the top of Cerro del Castillo stands La Martina, the pentagonal watchtower that has become the emblem of Ayllón. Built in the eighth century during the Arab occupation, it was part of the defensive wall of the town, of which there are still remains known as Los Paredones. After the reconquest, it was integrated as the bell tower of the church of San Martín, from which it takes its name. Although the parish church was abandoned in the 18th century, the tower continued to mark the days of the farmers with its bells, and is today a historical and patrimonial symbol of the town.