Nuestra Señora de Monsalud Shrine

Nuestra Señora de Monsalud Shrine was built in the place where, according to legend, a neighbour showed up because a dog would not stop barking. Over the centuries, it was one of the shrines with the highest income in the entire diocese of Malaga due to to the high number of devotees that it attracted and the lands that were used to fund it.

The shrine dates from the early 17th century. Opposite we can see a kind of square where the floor is decorated with a conglomerate of tiles forming a mosaic with floral motifs connected to Our Lady of Monsalud. The site has two floors, separated by a line of imposts. It looks quite like a civil building, in fact, it is very similar to the Town Hall building.

If you look at it from Calle Ermita, the façade of  Nuestra Señora de Monsalud Shrine is made up of a portico with three arches and limestone voussoirs resting on quadrangular ashlar pillars made out of the same material. At the top of the building we can see a belfry crowned with a crucifix. Inside it is comprised of two naves that are separated by semicircular arches. The shrine has wooden collar beams in the centre and a porch roof on the side. At the top there is a lobed hexagonal Neo-baroque lady chapel (1957) where you can see the image of Our Lady of Monsalud. This one, in particular, is a hidden chapel, as it looks like it is hidden between the walls of the church as it is suspended behind the altarpiece. As for the decoration, it has a vault made up of crossed semicircular arches, with a profusion of plasterwork ornaments, pilasters, fallen leaves, and garlands; golden Neoclassical architecture elements in the Rococo style. At the foot of the main nave there is a raised choir.