The Nuestra Señora de Gracia Parish Church is located at the highest point of the town of Palomas in Badajoz. Built in the sixteenth century style, it is constructed in the Gothic-Mudéjar style and falls under the Order of Santiago.
Its large tower is the most distinct feature of the monument and one of the most beautiful examples of tower facades in Lower Extremadura. Its geometric decorations are done with moulded brick. Along with the Granja de Torrehermosa and the surrounding Hornachos, Alange and Puebla de la Reina and others, the church is the most outstanding example of the achievements of the Mudéjar style in Lower Extremadura.
The tower was built before 1550. Its body is square and takes up almost the entire nave. The tower is very high and consists of three sections. The two inferior sections are integrated into the temple, the lower section forms the narthex of the church and the other section forms the choir-gallery.
Some interesting artistic elements still survive on the inside of the building. These include the altarpiece and several side altars dedicated to the Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Nazarene, the Immaculate Conception, Dolorosa or Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The church is located free in the center of a rectangular plaza with its shaft rotated relative to the aforementioned Plaza. A raised platform is constructed around the building along the south facade because of the slope.
References:The Clementinum is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries, the City Library also being located nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. The Technical library and the Municipal library have moved to the Prague National Technical Library at Technická 6 since 2009. It is currently in use as the National Library of the Czech Republic.
Its history dates from the existence of a chapel dedicated to Saint Clement in the 11th century. A Dominican monastery was founded in the medieval period, which was transformed in 1556 to a Jesuit college. In 1622 the Jesuits transferred the library of Charles University to the Klementinum, and the college was merged with the University in 1654. The Jesuits remained until 1773, when the Klementinum was established as an observatory, library, and university by the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.