Plaza Iglesia de Alcútar

This is the main square in the village of Alcútar and is home to the church of Santa María la Mayor. Rather than the traditional rounded shape, this particular square is rectangular, and is wider than a typical street.

It is also home to a fountain, and if you make your way up the small slope just below the church you will find a small hole in the wall on the right-hand side, containing a painting and some flowers. This painting represents the ánimas: the spirits of deceased people whose souls need to be purified before they can enter heaven. Our prayers can help with this process, and to give thanks for our assistance, the ánimas usually grant the requests of those who pray for them. They are highly venerated by the residents of the village. During the festival in honour of the village’s patron saint, a stage and bar are installed in the square and it is used for dancing.