The Church of Sant Bertomeu, located in the heart of the old town of Finestrat, reopens its doors after being closed to the public for three years due to renovation works. Holy Week will be special this year because all the acts of these festivities can be carried out inside. During the work carried out, different paintings have been found hidden under a layer of plaster that surrounds the central nave. The building is listed as an Asset of Local Interest and appears in the General Inventory of Valencian Cultural Heritage
The church, which has undergone several actions to overcome the problems in the structure of the building, is one of the most sought after and visited points by tourists who come to the municipality. The temple, erected in honour of the patron saint of Finestrat, Sant Bertomeu, was blessed on 24 August 1751. It was built thanks to the contributions of the neighbors, who managed to raise about 90,000 pounds, a not inconsiderable amount for those times and that population. When it was built, it was built outside the walls, according to its factory order, so it can be considered as the first stone of expansion of the town from that date onwards.
The main façade faces south, towards the Plaza de la Torreta, although it is known that this was not always the case, since at first the apse and the High Altar were placed where its main door is located today. Crypts were built under the floor that served as an ossuary. They are shaped like barrel vaults, with semicircular arches that support the pavement of the Church. Its floor plan is cruciform and inside it has a Baroque-style altarpiece. On the High Altar is the figure of Sant Bertomeu, in polychrome carving and made of stone. Its façade is smooth and denotes neoclassical airs. The bell tower stands out, which without being very high, rises above the surrounding houses and is visible to the visitor as he approaches the town from neighboring towns.
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