Hermitage of Virgen de la Oliva, Patones, Ruinous hermitage church in Patones, Spain.
The Hermitage of Virgen de la Oliva is a medieval chapel ruin with Romanesque-Mudejar features located near Patones in Spain's central plateau. The structure displays its characteristic brick apse and vaulted space with visible masonry construction.
The hermitage was built between the 12th and 13th centuries and originally belonged to the Magistral Church of Alcalá de Henares. It later became part of the Complutense Diocese before gradually falling into ruin over the centuries.
The shrine was a place where local people came to honor the Virgin Mary, and its remote location in the dehesa shows how religious devotion shaped rural communities. The structure stands as a testament to how sacred spaces were woven into the daily landscape of the region.
The route to the hermitage follows the road connecting Patones de Abajo to the El Atazar reservoir, roughly five kilometers from the town center. The location is remote, so visitors should wear sturdy shoes and allow time for walking through the rural area.
Only the apse and lower section of the nave remain from the original structure, revealing how the medieval vault was constructed with distinct layers of brick. This partial preservation gives an unexpected view of how medieval builders assembled their walls.
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