The Archiprestal Church of Our Lady of the Angels is Chelva’s most iconic monument and is considered one of the best works of Valencian Baroque. This cathedral-sized church was begun in 1626 and its construction lasted eighty years.
The altarpiece façade, in Mannerist style, is a monumental work of masonry that alternates between the four classical orders (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian and Composite).
Juan Bautista Pérez Castiel is credited with the exuberant interior baroque decoration, the large semi-spherical dome and the bell tower, considered the first of the Valencian Baroque. Almost 60 meters high, this tower culminates with an original clock, owned by the municipality, which indicates the hours, days of the week and the month.
References:The Beckov castle stands on a steep 50 m tall rock in the village Beckov. The dominance of the rock and impression of invincibility it gaves, challenged our ancestors to make use of these assets. The result is a remarkable harmony between the natural setting and architecture.
The castle first mentioned in 1200 was originally owned by the King and later, at the end of the 13th century it fell in hands of Matúš Èák. Its owners alternated - at the end of the 14th century the family of Stibor of Stiborice bought it.
The next owners, the Bánffys who adapted the Gothic castle to the Renaissance residence, improved its fortifications preventing the Turks from conquering it at the end of the 16th century. When Bánffys died out, the castle was owned by several noble families. It fell in decay after fire in 1729.
The history of the castle is the subject of different legends.