Church of Santa María in Tobed

Fruit of the influence of the military orders in the region

This is an outstanding example of a church-fortress in the Aragonese Mudéjar style. This church, located in the village of Tobed, consists of a single nave with side chapels covered by a pointed barrel vault. The sanctuary is straight, and has three chapels. The main sections are covered with ogive vaulted ceilings, whereas the outer sections have pointed barrel vaults supported on tower-buttresses. Together with the gallery or walkway, these towers give the church its defensive and military nature. The outside decoration is composed of brick sections arranged in bands with geometric motifs and bands of tiles forming arrowhead motifs. The interior of the church is particularly richly painted and decorated with Mudéjar ornamentation, and is attributed to the architect of Pope Benedict XIII, Mahoma Rami, who may have directed the building works. Visitors should not miss the presbytery with its Islamic geometric motifs, the chapel of the Virgin and the 16th-century blue, green and yellow Muel tiles, and the high altar in the Baroque style. This is a prime example of the Mudéjar architecture of Aragon, and has been awarded the World Heritage designation by the UNESCO.