Illescas: El Greco, Festivals and History

Illescas combines sacred art, long-standing festival traditions and traces of different eras. At the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad, El Greco designed the decoration of the main altar and five paintings between 1603 and 1605. These five works are considered a thematic unit centred on the Virgin Mary.

Culture and History

The Puerta de Ugena is a Mudéjar-style structure made of rubble masonry and bricks. The Casa-palacio de la Calle Real dates from the 18th century and is a noteworthy sight in Illescas. Construction of the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Illescas began in the 13th century; parts of the side apses and the Mudéjar tower from this period have been preserved. The church combines Gothic, Mudéjar, Renaissance, Plateresque, Baroque and Rococo elements.

Museums and Sacred Sites

The Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad was built in the Renaissance style from 1588 onwards and consecrated in 1600. The Hospital de la Caridad de Illescas was planned and inaugurated by Cardinal Cisneros in 1500; together with the adjoining chapel, it served as a centre of charity and mercy for caring for the town and pilgrims. The hospital and sanctuary form an architectural ensemble around a central courtyard.

The art collection in the Santuario includes works by Alejandro Ferrant, Luis de Morales and Juan Pantoja de la Cruz. Visits to the Museo del Santuario are guided, with the price of the tour included in the admission fee. At the museum, visitors can see the burial chapel and the reliquary of Fernando Pacheco de Toledo.

Festivals

The Fiesta de El Milagro takes place on 11 March and commemorates the miracle attributed to the Virgen de la Caridad on 11 March 1562. It has been celebrated continuously since 1562. The Fiestas Patronales en Honor a la Virgen de la Caridad have been celebrated since the 16th century and begin on the last weekend of August.

Paths and Older Traces

The Ruta de Don Quijote passes through Illescas on its ninth stage towards Carranque. El Cerrón is an artificial spur of land that was used as a settlement and ritual site from the Iron Age to the Muslim period. From Illescas, El Cerrón can be reached freely on foot via rural paths. At the Convento de las Concepcionistas Franciscanas de Illescas, the outdoor area is freely accessible; the interior cannot be visited.

The Centro Turístico Cultural La Almazara offers activities related to gastronomy, crafts and the performing arts. The Museo del Aceite presents the olive oil production process.

When you choose a holiday apartment in Illescas, you can decide in advance which combination of culture, festival traditions, museums and rural paths you would like to include when planning your stay. Then compare travel dates, room category and cancellation policies on the booking pages.

Other places in the same higher-level area include Santo Domingo-Caudilla, La Iglesuela, Oropesa, Santa Olalla, Fuensalida, Carranque, La Villa De Don Fadrique and Yuncler.

The Olmo del Milagro is a centuries-old tree on a square in Illescas.

To the higher-level travel overview: Toledo.