The Church of the Assumption is notable for its considerable size. Towering over the historic centre of Antigüedad, its origins lie in a medieval church named Santa María de la Antigua, in an obvious connection with the name of the village.
Of this early three-nave church, built in the late Romanesque style, only a few traces remain today, such as the row of plain corbels beneath the eaves and a large window featuring two semicircular arches.
In the 17th century, the church underwent a profound transformation. A new phase of construction, guided by Baroque principles, completely redefined the interior layout and gave the building a more monumental presence.
In the 20th century, further alterations were made that once again changed its appearance. In 1908 the tower was erected, attached to the north wall, on the site of the former medieval sacristy. The result was a vertical structure of stone and brick, clearly visible from everywhere in the village. Later works were carried out during the course of the century, continuing until 1973, to reinforce the structure, resulting in the current concrete pillars, the vault of the central nave and the flat ceilings of the side aisles.
Among the artefacts preserved in the church, the large 14th-century baptismal font is worthy of note, as is, in particular, the Virgin of Villella. This 13th-century wooden carving depicts the crowned Virgin seated and facing forward, offering a fruit to the Infant Jesus, a symbol of the redeemed world. Tradition traces its origins to the abandoned village of Villella, within the municipal boundaries of Antigüedad, where a Mozarabic church stood in the 9th century, making this image a valuable link to the municipality’s most ancient history.
