Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen

The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is located in the historic center of Estepa. The origin of this church was the hermitage of Cristo de la Sangre (Christ of the Blood) (1636), whose benefactor was Juan Martín Formariz. It displays one of the most representative façades of the Andalusian late Baroque (Rococo), the work of Andrés de Zabala. Its interesting alcove (ca. 1714) houses the image of the Virgin of Mount Carmel, donated by the Marchioness Leonor María Centurión in the second half of the 17th century. The vertical line predominates over the horizontal on its façade, with projecting elements grouped in the center, a love of movement, and a focus on movement. This draws the viewer's gaze toward the central part of the façade, toward the sculpture of the Virgin of Mount Carmel. The structure of the tower-alcove at the head of the church is typical of the 18th century.