Parish church of the Assumption of Our Lady

The parish church of Cretas, built in the 16th century, is an exceptional testament to Aragonese architecture, skilfully combining Gothic and Renaissance elements. Its structure is organised into a single rectangular nave, complemented by a polygonal apse and side chapels set between the buttresses, closely following the typology of the late Gothic.

The church's doorway, with its markedly Mannerist structure, is articulated in two sections. The lower section houses the figures of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, crowned by a frieze with reliefs depicting the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ. In the upper section, five empty niches await the visitor's imagination, while the whole is topped by a pediment displaying the representation of God as Eternal Father. Two imposing columns flank this composition, and a large upper pediment culminates in a relief of the Coronation of the Virgin.

An inscription on the facade dates its construction to 1566, attributing the work to master builder Sebastián Deixado, who signs as “xado”. Given its incalculable historical and artistic value, the church was listed as a Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC, Spanish heritage listing) in the category of Monument on 26 December 2001, by Decree 329/2001 of the Government of Aragon.

In the 21st century, the commitment to its preservation was realised in various restoration campaigns. Between 2013 and 2016, major works were carried out promoted by the archbishopric of Zaragoza, the Diputación de Teruel and the Town Hall, and subsequently by the Sociedad Suelo y Vivienda de Aragón of the Government of Aragon, ensuring the conservation of this heritage for future generations.

The building that best defines the profile of Cretas is, without doubt, its impressive church dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady; although the parish to which it belongs is under the patronage of Saint John the Baptist, a fact that often causes confusion in its name.

It was built in the 16th century (with the facade dated 1566), replacing an earlier temple in the upper part of the town, probably built in the 13th century. For its construction, the line of the old town walls was broken and the site of one of the old town gates was occupied, with master builder Sebastián Deixado, who signs as “xado”.

During the Spanish Civil War it suffered considerable looting, losing a large part of its interior decoration, which has been gradually restored. For some years, the inhabitants had to donate a percentage of the olive harvest to pay for the new altarpiece.