Chinchón

Chinchón's beautiful medieval square is the most emblematic feature of Chinchón. With its irregular ground plan and consisting of two- and three-storey houses with balconies, it has long been – and still is – the scene of many activities and shows.

Located 45 km from Madrid, Chinchón can be seen from a distance because of its houses built into the hills. In addition to its characteristic main square, Plaza Mayor, with its wooden balconies and lintelled galleries, the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (1534-1626), which was sacked and set ablaze by Napoleon's troops in 1808, is particularly worth a visit. The present-day church was completed in 1828 and is a mixture of Gothic, Plateresque, Renaissance and Baroque styles. The magnificent painting of Goya's Assumption of the Virgin is housed inside.Other buildings of interest include: the 17th century convent of the Order of Saint Clare; the clock tower, belonging to the old parish church of Nuestra Señora de Gracia and restored in 1856; and the remains of a 15th-century castle, rebuilt between 1590 and 1598 by the 3rd Count of Chinchón and also burnt down in 1808 by Napoleon's troops. In the centre of the town, you will see noble houses bearing coats of arms and stately homes with beautiful courtyards and galleries supported by Doric, Ionic or Tuscan columns, or with stone bases and straight shafts with footings.