Oratorio de San Felipe Neri

The Oratorio de San Felipe Neri is a church in Albacete featuring a curved altar area and walls extending to the roof height. Daylight enters from above the altar, creating a bright and open feeling inside the nave.

Antonio Escario Martinez designed this building in 1963 with help from architect Adolfo Gil Alcañiz while completing his own professional credentials. The project emerged during a period when Spain needed new religious structures for its expanding communities.

The building was selected to represent Spanish architecture at the 14th Venice Architecture Biennale in the exhibition Absorbing Modernity 1914-2014.

The building sits across from Abelardo Sanchez Park and provides spaces for gatherings, conferences, and community cultural activities. It serves as a venue for local meetings and events throughout the year.

The roof structure resembles a floating wooden boat and is separated from the masonry walls by a slim gap. This detail allows daylight to filter in gently and gives the whole interior a sense of hovering above its supports.

Location: Albacete

Architects: Antonio Escario Martínez

GPS coordinates: 38.98581,-1.85602

Latest update: December 14, 2025 16:46