San Roque – Parish Church of Saint Mary the Crowned

Church of Saint Mary the Crowned

Saint Mary the Crowned Parish Church is located in the monumental town of San Roque, next to the Town Hall and the Governor´s Palace, in the Armas Square.

The church dates from the 18th century and features Tuscan architecture and Baroque artwork. Once the town hadd been founded, work began in 1735 on the construction of a church over the foundations of the original Chapel of Saint Roque, built in 1508.

Inside the building the most important feature is the main altar, where the statue of the Patron Saint, Saint Mary the Crowned is venerated along with the images of Saint Sebastian and Saint Joseph. These statues were brought from Gibraltar in 1704 and date back to the 15th century. Amongst the 15th to 17th century statues broght from the Rock, The Holy Burial and the Most Holy Christ of Humility and Patience stand out, each one in their own side chapel. The image of the Most Holy Christ of a Happy Death is the work of the San Roque-born sculptor, Luis Ortega Brú.

The Baroque style side chapel and the tomb of Jose Cedalso, a poet and soldier from Cadiz who died during the Great Siege in 1782 are both worth mentioning.

The church records feature the parish records from Gibraltar, from 1556 until 1704.

On the outside, the main entrance and the bell tower stand out. The temple was declared a listed historical building on 30th May 1974.