Lost amid the greenery are the Restos de la Iglesia de la Torrecilla. This is a place where echoes of history linger. Today we will uncover the story of this almost forgotten church.
The Restos de la Iglesia de la Torrecilla was not well known. It did not attract popular worship like San Isidro or San Antonio de la Florida. Yet, some whispered its design might be the work of Francisco de Sabatini.
Let’s step back to April 22 1936. Municipal workers carefully removed valuable artworks from the Iglesia de la Torrecilla. These works by Mariano Salvador Maella were destined for the Museo Municipal. They were protecting the heritage from theft and vandalism. An incident at the Employees Cemetery hastened this relocation. A fire had erupted there. This raised concerns about the safety of the church’s contents.
Inside the Iglesia de la Torrecilla a rich altar stood. It was adorned with Spanish marbles. Two smaller gilded altars flanked the main one. Three paintings by Maella graced these altars. These depicted the Immaculate Conception. Also there were Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Anthony of Padua. A silver lamp once hung in the cupola’s center. Carlos IV gifted crosses and candelabras. An ivory Immaculate Conception by Andrea Imbros was also there. An armonium and silver objects added to its splendor. Birth baptism marriage and death records filled boxes. The museum intended to display all these cataloged items.
The Iglesia de la Torrecilla stood abandoned after November 14 1933. Hilario Molinos Gómez held the last mass that day. The Madrid City Council considered repurposing the small hermitage. Suggestions included turning it into a school. Critics quickly dismissed this idea. The space was small and poorly lit. It would be uncomfortable in winter.
Some claimed the Iglesia de la Torrecilla served as a dance hall during the French Revolution. This was likely a misunderstanding. The pastor referred to it as a “recreation house”. The space was too small for aristocratic dances.
Debates arose about whether an earlier church existed on the site. Fernández de los Ríos believed it dated back to Philip II. He based this on the Vargas family escutcheons. Sabatini reused columns from the Vargas’ Casa de Campo in the new church. He also brought the Vargas escutcheons from the Palacete Renacentista.
Documents confirm King Carlos III founded the Iglesia de la Torrecilla on June 29 1788. He dedicated it to Our Lady of the Conception and San Carlos Borromeo. Carlos III died shortly after. Some historians attribute its completion to Carlos IV. Fernando VII later gifted bells to the church. These had inscriptions related to the church’s dedication.
The Iglesia de la Torrecilla’s worship was suppressed in 1868. It was restored in 1875 when Alfonso XII regained the Spanish crown. The Second Republic did not suppress worship in 1931. Instead it undertook cleaning and sanitation works.
Tomás Niembro de la Concha recounted the Iglesia de la Torrecilla’s final days. The area had stabilized. The troops observed Madrid from the trenches. Tunnels were constructed beneath the Iglesia de la Torrecilla. These were filled with explosives. The chaplain told him not to worry about blowing up the church. He said the communists had banished God years ago. The church was just a building. By June 1937 the Iglesia de la Torrecilla was destroyed in a planned demolition.
Today only ruins mark the spot. The Iglesia de la Torrecilla is a poignant reminder. It recalls a time of upheaval and loss. Yet its story preserved through meticulous research ensures its memory lives on.