Bell tower of Fórnoles

The parish church of Santa María la Mayor in Fórnoles takes pride in its impressive Baroque bell tower, which dominates the village skyline and is visible from afar. Its construction, closely linked to the extension of the church during the 18th century, stands out for its robustness and its construction using large blocks of ashlar masonry, standing as an independent structure.

The tower is articulated in four distinctive sections. The first three have a square floor plan; in the first section, a sundial and a shield with an enigmatic inscription can be seen, while the second section surprises with its convexly rounded corners. The third level, which houses the bell chamber, adopts a concave form, adding dynamism to its design. The upper section culminates in an elegant octagonal plan, crowned by a conical structure bearing a wrought-iron weathervane. With a total height of 30 metres, this tower is not only an architectural landmark but also a visual reference point in the landscape of Fórnoles.

In the parish church of Fórnoles, dedicated to Santa María la Mayor, the Gothic and Baroque styles combine as a result of different periods of construction throughout its history.

Work began in the 14th century, probably between the years 1330 and 1350. At that time, Fórnoles was under the rule of the Order of Calatrava and, as a testimony to this, we find the shield of this order on the pediment of the doorway. The original construction is in the Gothic style and comprises the polygonal apse and the central nave, which is divided into four bays by pointed arches and has a ribbed vault. This nave is higher than the lateral ones and is crowned on the exterior by a cornice with gargoyles and corbels on which mainly hieratic human heads are depicted.

In the 18th century, an important remodelling and extension in the Baroque style was carried out. To this period belong the two lateral naves, in which shallow chapels open; the area at the foot, where a hexagonal chapel covered with a false ribbed vault was built; the slender bell tower and the doorway, which, although a very sober work as befits its construction already well into the 18th century, follows the style of the altarpiece-doorways typical of the Baroque.