What to See
Church of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores
Foundation
On April 4, 1735 is erected in the Parochial Church the chapel that with the same name is situated in the Royal Villa of Nuestra Sra. De los Dolores. For a firm of May 9 the same year was appointed its first parish priest Don Sebastian Viala y Soto priest by the Bishop of the Diocese of Cartagena Don Joseph de Montes (BOOK I OF BAPTISMS of the parish of Dolores. Folio II. Certification of Joseph Reale Valiente, Apostolic Notary and Secretary of the Board and Council of Foundations named by the Lords Dean and Cabildo of the Cathedral of Cartagena. On August 23 they order to take into effect the erection of the new parish and the presented parson to be admitted, in acordance with the established in the Deed of December 8, 1929. The new priest takes possession of his benefit in October, 1735.
The Dr. Don Francisco Sáez Gutiérrez laid the first stone on August 16, 1737, with a wonderful accompaniment of music, flageolets, artificial fire and cheer. Priest, who was govern in a temporary way (taken of a work bound in yellowish pages, p 8). The first half of the Church, December 16, 1752, the new church is blessed, and 17 His Divine Majesty moves and places with solemnity (it is signed by Don Jose Falcón, Parson, Book 2º rationally of Deaths, 2ª divides, f 9 v). The second half of the Church: on December 7, 1774 is the blessing of the rest of the Church and the 8th the transfer of the Blessed Sacrament and there is placed the new Sacrarium of the High Altar, with power of the Ilmo. Sr. Don Jose Tormo, bishop of the city and Orihuela's Bishopric (it is annotated by the parson Don Jose Falcón, and he signs it, Book 2 of Marriages, f 42 v, though it appears also in the Book of Deaths f 4).
In 1895 the parson Don Francisco Flores, blesses the new pavement of the Church The restoration that is carried out in 2001, being a priest Don Antonio Cabrera, is of a magnificent importance, being the initial budget of 40 million pesetas, sponsored by PRODER, which after two years turns in more than 70. (Book 23 of Baptisms, in it previous page to the Folio I). In 1903 he places the presbytery of marble, costs 789,50 pesetas. In 1906, the flouring of the cruise, to place it and stone-cutter, 1905,50 pesetas. The penultimate restoration is done in 1975 and it overcame four million pesetas, being a priest Don Iván Santos Mollá, directing the works Don Francisco Molina Gomis, architect. (Jose Sáez Calvo. The Sculptural Work of the Churches of Pias Foundaciones and other villages of the Vega Baja).
Description
The Church of Dolores is an important sample of architecture of the eighteenth century, composed by major nave with cruise and lateral chapels, transept, chancel with chapel, and in the head-board chapel of the Sacrament and Sacristy. It has dome and skylight on cruise and two towers to the feet. Its roof is of vault of half a point in the interior, covered the outside with Moorish tile, and glazed in blue colour in the dome. The interior decoration, in relief of stucco and paint or golden, is of good quality inside the rococo. Its importance is notable, inside this stage of the provincial architecture, this one is a slightly frequent case of purity of style and quality (Certification of Don Enrique Llobregat Conesa, Dr. En Filosofía y Letras del Cuerpo Facultativo de Conservadores de Museos, Director of Museo Provincial de Alicante, Consejero Provincial del Patrimonio Artístico y Cultural y Académico belonging of las Reales de la Historia de Madrid and of Bellas Artes of San Carlos ofValencia, Alicante, December 10, 1974).
Works of Art
The Altar of San Antonio de Pádua
A fresco painting of architectural, catalogued by the University of Alicante.
There are pictures of almost two meters of the Virgin of the Rosario, in the choir of the Church and an oil painting of the Cardinal Belluga, in the sacristy. In addition there remain also a picture of San Andrés Apostle and other one of San Francisco of Paula, founder of Los Minimos.
Image of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores.
It is located in the Church of Ntra. Sra. de los Dolores. This image, which presides at the high altar of the church, symbol of the strong devotion of the Cardinal Belluga to this dedication of the Virgin, It was realized by the celebrated sculptor of Murcia, Francisco Salzillo between 1743 and 1745. It is considered one of the most beautiful and inspired creations of the sculptor.
Image of San Pascual Bailón (1786)
Patron Saint of Dolores, work of the sculptor Roque Lopez, of Salzillo's School. This work is located in the Parish Church.of Ntra. Sra. De los Dolores. Of seven spans and a half, kneeling down in a crag with a hand to the chest, adoring the custody, which will be in a tree that will leave the same crag, for Foundations.
Monument to the Cardinal Bellluga
D. Luis Belluga y Moncada (1948). Dedicated in memory of the founder of Dolores, this monument chiselled in bronze by the Valencian sculptor D. Jose Arnal in 1948, took as model the portrait of the prelate which is remained in the sacristy of the Parish Church. It is installed in the square of the same name and opposite to the parish temple.
Cattle Market
The Cattle Market of Dolores has been held continually almost from the origins of our town. It took a relevant peak in the region as far back as the decade of the 40 and 50, being the natural forum for transactions of animals for the work in the garden and breeding. The level of the Fair of Cattle of Dolores was equal to the decrease of the primary sector in favour of other economic sectors and therefore the Fair, which was satisfying a need of farmers and ranchers, was in continuous decline.
The renaissance of the Cattle Market of Dolores goes back to the year 1987, in which under the patronage of the municipal corporation, more specifically of D. Rodolfo Lucas Cano, Councilman of the Town Hall of Dolores at the time, his efford and illusion and gathering popular feeling of restoring one of the cattle fairs more importantly of the province of Alicante and Comunidad Valenciana, meets a group of ranchers and enthusiasts together with staff of the Delegation of breeding of Albacete and Alicante, so that, the commitment is born in this year to do a small contest, in which began to restore the old tradition of cattle market of our major ones, promoting the old uses and customs so deeply rooted in our village. The success was absolute, since the forecasts of participation remained far below of the quantity of cattle that came to the official announcement.
Later it was suggested seriously, to take part in the official calendar of Morphologic Contests with Provincial Category, obtaining a round success as for participation of cattle and public in general.
In the year 1.991 there was acquired the Category of National Contest by own right, on having a big entry in the Morphologic Contest of Spanish thoroughbred Horses, of more of 100 specimens of diverse ranch of more than 5 different provinces and three autonomies as minimum; then, year after year the Cattle Market, strictly speaking, was acquiring more importance as for number and quality of the products; differing greatly from other markets close to ours.
The influx so much public as of farmers or persons linked to the world of the horse in particular is exceptional. There is estimated an influx of approximately 45000 persons, over five days of fair.
Local Festivities in Honor of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores
The third weekend of September is celebrated in honour to the Patron of Dolores, Nuestra Señora de Dolores, beginning on Friday for the Offering of flower, where all the people gives flowers to the Virgin as a sign of love and I respect. The festival continues Saturday with the parade of coaches and the parade of Moors and Christians.
On Sunday take place the large procession of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores which crosses the main streets of the town. Monday is a local festival and take place the traditional contest of paellas. Another local event is the Friday of Pain. It is celebrated on Friday before to the Palm Sunday and a procession takes place in honor to La Virgen Dolorosa.
Holy Week
Dolores cuenta con una espectacular Semana Santa de la que hay que destacar la gran calidad de sus imágenes y tronos, siendo la gran mayoría de ellos portados por costaleros.
Fiestas Patronales y de Moros y Cristianos
En honor a la Patrona de Dolores, Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. Se celebra el tercer fin de semana de septiembre, comenzando el viernes por la Ofrenda de Flores, donde todo el pueblo regala flores a la Virgen en señal de amor y respeto a la Virgen. El sábado continúa la fiestas con el desfile de carrozas y el desfile de moros y cristianos.
El domingo se realiza la multitudinaria procesión de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores que recorre las principales calles del municipio. El lunes es fiesta local, y en ella tiene cabida el tradicional concurso de paellas. Otra fiesta local es el Viernes de Dolor. Se celebra el viernes anterior al Domingo de Ramos y tiene lugar una procesión en honor a la Virgen Dolorosa.
En el año 1990 desfila, por primera vez, una comparsa mora: ALA MAJÁ. Animados tal vez por ellos, unos años después, en 1998, se crea la primera comparsa cristiana con el nombre de LA GUARDIA DEL CARDENAL, dándole un toque de alegría y colorido a los desfiles, que desde entonces han venido participando interrumpidamente en las fiestas de Moros y Cristianos.
Más InformaciónHolidays of May
Dolores has a spectacular Holy Week from which it is necessary to distinguish the great quality of its images and thrones, being the great majority of them carried for bearers of religious images during processions.
Holidays of the Sacred Heart
These holidays which take place in the district of Cuatro Caminos, are the most important of all those are celebrated in the neighbourhoods and the districts of Dolores. The date of this celebration is different according to the liturgical calendar.
Sports and Cultural Events
We must emphasize the activities realized in May, where besides organizing an entertaining marathon of aerobic in the Municipal Flag of Dolores, also take place meetings between the different soccer teams, parades of clothes, by the collaboration of the trades, in the Square Cardinal Belluga.
In some occasions, the Town hall of Dolores with the collaboration of the Businessmen's Association (ASEMDOLORES) prepares the Fair of the Trade, where every establishment can show to the population of Dolores and all the visitors the products an services which are offer benefiting from it, at the time that it helps to the municipality to grow economically.
During all the year, a wide cultural agenda is presented, in which stand out all the activities and concerts that offer the Musical Union of Dolores, the Orquesta Sinfónica Académica de Dolores, the Coral "Maria Trives" and the Group of Theatre "Belluga" of the locality.