Sant Miquel is the church of the Raval, the district that grew up outside the Vila's walls. It was built over the 16th to 18th centuries on the site of an old 14th-century chapel.
The cloth-makers' church
Its construction was driven by the powerful guild of woollen cloth-makers, at its peak in the 16th and 17th centuries, when textiles were already the engine of Ontinyent. It is a reminder of the wealth weaving brought the town long before modern factories.
What to see
- The nave, with remarkably uniform mid-18th-century mural decoration.
- The magnificent organ, built in the late 18th century and now in need of restoration.
Visiting
It's close to the Plaça Major and the Pont Vell, so it fits easily into the old town walk. To learn more about the town's textile history, visit the Textile Museum.
Source: Ontinyent Tourism.
