Portal of Santa María (Conesa)

In Conesa's main square, the Portal of Santa María invites you to pause and look up. Its semicircular arch, formed by voussoirs, frames a vernacular architectural structure that forms part of the town's military heritage. To discover its details, it's worth observing both the shape of the portal and the image located in the center of the arch.

It is precisely on the keystone, the voussoir that closes the arch, where the image of Saint Mary is found. The sculpture shows significant wear due to the erosive action of the weather. Despite this deterioration, it is one of the elements that deserves special attention when you approach the portal.

The image was restored at the end of the 20th century by the artist Ismael Balanyà, who also created the head. Understanding this intervention provides a different perspective when observing the sculpture: in addition to the wear caused by the elements, there is the mark of an intervention intended to restore it.

The gateway also has a history that goes beyond the details of the arch. According to local chronicler Josep Pijoan, it was framed by two towers: the Gomà Tower and the Ferreria Tower. This reference allows you to imagine it alongside these structures and provides context for its military character.

Owned by the municipality and declared a Cultural Asset of National Interest, the Portal de Santa María is in a very good state of conservation, with the exception of the image, which is heavily eroded.

When you stroll through the Plaza Mayor, take a moment to scan the arch and locate Santa María at its keystone. The shape of the structure, the sculpture, and the reference to the two towers offer different starting points for exploring this element of Conesa's heritage.