El Ràfol d’Almúnia
The church known as Església de Sant Francesc de Paula in Ràfol d'Almúnia, dating back to the 16th century, was probably the first Christian temple in the zone known as La Rectoria. It was built on the site of the former mosque, and in the 17th century another temple was constructed on top of it. The current church is in the Baroque style and dates back to the 18th century, due to the fact that, probably around the year 1770, the temple was burned down and had to be rebuilt.
Inside the church, there is a single nave with a cruciform floor plan inscribed in a rectangle, with side chapels between buttresses. The central nave is covered with a barrel vault with lunettes over transverse arches, and the transept has a larger handkerchief vault.
All the uncovered ornamentation is characteristic of the classical language. One can find an old image of Sant Francesc de Paula by the sculptor Esteve i Bonet, and there is also another old image of Sant Josep attributed to the sculptor Vergara.
On the exterior, what stands out is the entrance that is marked by neoclassical stone blocks, distinct from the bare altar facade, and there is a square bell tower with two sections.