Iglesia Santa María la Mayor de Alcútar

The original 17th-century iglesia (church) was sacked by the Moriscos during the Rebellion of the Alpujarras. During this same rebellion, while the midnight mass was being conducted on 24 December, the Moriscos entered the church and slaughtered everyone present except for the sexton, who escaped via the bell tower and alerted the people of Bérchules, who were also at mass.

Its design is one of the neatest in the region, in keeping with the style guidelines issued by the Council of Castile during the second half of the 18th century. At the end of the Spanish Civil War, a number of passageways, providing refuge for a large number of people, were found beneath this church. Sadly, these refuges no longer exist. The church has a rectangular nave but there is no altar, except for a small table presided over by an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the side of the entrance. The bell tower houses two bells of equal size, which are still operated manually.

Inside the church there are many examples of religious iconography, including the image of Santo Cristo de la Misericordia (Christ of Mercy), the patron of Alcútar, which presides over the main altar. Like the church in Bérchules, above the entrance there is a gallery, which is used by the live band that provides musical accompaniment for the mass during the festival of Santo Cristo.