Before Aranjuez became a town laid out for the court, there was already a small medieval quarter here: Alpajés. At the end of the 17th century its chapel became this church, designed by Cristóbal Rodríguez de Jarama in 1681. It’s in the Madrid classicist style, in exposed brick and white stone, with a Latin-cross plan inspired by the Gesù in Rome and the arms of Charles II on the façade.
Today it’s the parish church of the town’s patroness, Nuestra Señora de las Angustias, celebrated on 15 September, a few days after the Mutiny Festival. The building was damaged in the Civil War and restored in the late 20th century.
It stands by Calle de la Reina, a step away from the entrance to the Prince’s Garden.
What few people tell you
- The name comes from the medieval quarter of Alpajés, which existed before court-era Aranjuez and was swallowed by the 18th-century expansion.
- The façade bears the arms of Charles II: one of the few 17th-century buildings in Aranjuez.
- The octagonal dome is attributed to Santiago Bonavía, the architect who laid out the town.
Sources and official links
- spain.info, Church of the Virgen de las Angustias (Alpajés, Spanish)
- Hispanopedia, Iglesia de Alpajés
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