{"id":3143,"date":"2026-08-09T00:42:07","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T22:42:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/?p=3143"},"modified":"2026-08-09T00:42:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T22:42:07","slug":"san-roque-beato-church-gandia-history-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/san-roque-beato-church-gandia-history-visit\/","title":{"rendered":"Church of San Roque or Church of the Beato in Gandia: history and visitor guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>Church of San Roque<\/strong>, known in Gandia as the <strong>Church of the Beato<\/strong> or <strong>Chapel of the Beatet<\/strong>, preserves right in the heart of the Centre Hist\u00f2ric the memory of a Franciscan convent, a remarkable Baroque interior and devotion to Blessed Andr\u00e9s Hibern\u00f3n. Since 2022, it has also been the seat of the <strong>Diocesan Sanctuary of Blessed Andr\u00e9s Hibern\u00f3n<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Its various names do not contradict each other: <strong>San Roque<\/strong> is the historic dedication of the church; <strong>el Beato<\/strong> is the popular name linked to Andr\u00e9s Hibern\u00f3n; and <strong>diocesan sanctuary<\/strong> is its current ecclesiastical status. Knowing this evolution helps visitors to better read a building that brings together several stages in Gandia&#8217;s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_86 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Contenidos<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a7e3865cda1a\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #e41725;color:#e41725\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #e41725;color:#e41725\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a7e3865cda1a\"  aria-label=\"Alternar\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/san-roque-beato-church-gandia-history-visit\/#From_the_convent_of_Sant_Roc_to_the_present-day_church\" >From the convent of Sant Roc to the present-day church<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/san-roque-beato-church-gandia-history-visit\/#A_Baroque_church_with_a_Neoclassical_facade\" >A Baroque church with a Neoclassical fa\u00e7ade<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/san-roque-beato-church-gandia-history-visit\/#Andres_Hibernon_and_the_memory_of_the_Beatet\" >Andr\u00e9s Hibern\u00f3n and the memory of the Beatet<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/san-roque-beato-church-gandia-history-visit\/#From_Franciscan_convent_to_Central_Library\" >From Franciscan convent to Central Library<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/san-roque-beato-church-gandia-history-visit\/#What_to_look_for_during_your_visit\" >What to look for during your visit<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/san-roque-beato-church-gandia-history-visit\/#How_to_visit_the_Church_of_the_Beato\" >How to visit the Church of the Beato<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/san-roque-beato-church-gandia-history-visit\/#Photos_of_the_Church_of_the_Beato\" >Photos of the Church of the Beato<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"From_the_convent_of_Sant_Roc_to_the_present-day_church\"><\/span>From the convent of Sant Roc to the present-day church<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The origin of the complex is not in the 18th century, but in <strong>1588<\/strong>. That year, Carlos de Borja y de Meneses, 5th Duke of Gandia and eldest son of <a href=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/who-was-saint-francis-borgia\/\"><strong>Saint Francis Borgia<\/strong><\/a>, founded the convent of Sant Roc for a community of Discalced Franciscans. The Alcantarine friars took possession in 1591.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The convent was built next to an ancient hermitage dedicated to San Roque and took advantage of part of the medieval wall surroundings. The church we see today arrived later: it is an <strong>18th-century Baroque<\/strong> construction integrated into that earlier complex. This difference between convent and church helps clarify two dates that often appear mixed up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Baroque_church_with_a_Neoclassical_facade\"><\/span>A Baroque church with a Neoclassical fa\u00e7ade<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The interior reflects a Baroque style with restrained lines, featuring <strong>a single nave, barrel vault and interconnected side chapels<\/strong>. The official tourist guide places the addition of the Neoclassical fa\u00e7ade and the side chapel dedicated to the Beato in 1791, coinciding with the year of his beatification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you approach the fa\u00e7ade, look out for the <strong>coat of arms of the Dukes of Gandia<\/strong> above the entrance and the two empty niches in the upper section. Before the Spanish Civil War, they were occupied by large statues. Inside, highlights include the Baroque altarpieces, the Borgia coat of arms, the statue of Andr\u00e9s Hibern\u00f3n and the ceramic tiles depicting the friar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the restored pieces is the canvas of <strong>Sant Roc i Sant Francesc<\/strong>, a Baroque work attributed to Jeroni Jacint Espinosa. It was restored as part of the municipal programme Gandia Restaura and returned to the high altar in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Andres_Hibernon_and_the_memory_of_the_Beatet\"><\/span>Andr\u00e9s Hibern\u00f3n and the memory of the Beatet<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Andr\u00e9s Hibern\u00f3n was born in Murcia in <strong>1534<\/strong> and spent his final years in Gandia, where he died on <strong>18 April 1602<\/strong>. Local tradition remembers him as <em>el Beatet<\/em>, an affectionate diminutive reflecting the devotion maintained over generations. Pope Pius VI beatified him on <strong>22 May 1791<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For centuries, his body was venerated in the church and described as incorrupt. However, <strong>it was destroyed in 1936<\/strong>, so it is incorrect to state that it remains intact in the church. The sanctuary today preserves his memory through the space, the images, the tiles and the religious tradition linked to his figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"From_Franciscan_convent_to_Central_Library\"><\/span>From Franciscan convent to Central Library<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Following the confiscation of church property, the former convent passed to the Town Hall and had very varied uses: it housed law courts, a prison and a charitable home. Today, its rooms form part of the cultural complex housing the <strong>Central Library<\/strong> and the Archives of Gandia; a small cloister is also preserved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This transformation explains why the church is attached to a cultural space and a pedestrianised square. The location is also a stop on the <a href=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/borgia-urban-route-gandia\/\"><strong>Borgia Territory urban route<\/strong><\/a>, which connects various settings related to the ducal family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_look_for_during_your_visit\"><\/span>What to look for during your visit<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>The fa\u00e7ade:<\/strong> Neoclassical composition, ducal coat of arms and empty upper niches.<\/li><li><strong>The nave:<\/strong> barrel vault and interconnected side chapels.<\/li><li><strong>The altarpieces:<\/strong> an unusual example of religious Baroque heritage preserved in Gandia.<\/li><li><strong>The iconography of the Beato:<\/strong> statue, tiles and other elements associated with local devotion.<\/li><li><strong>The convent surroundings:<\/strong> cloister and cultural buildings integrated into the former Franciscan complex.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_visit_the_Church_of_the_Beato\"><\/span>How to visit the Church of the Beato<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The church is located in <strong>Pla\u00e7a Beato Andr\u00e9s Hibern\u00f3n<\/strong>, within a pedestrian area of the Centre Hist\u00f2ric. It can be reached on foot from Pla\u00e7a del Rei Jaume I, Carrer Major or the nearby <a href=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/old-university-gandia-francis-borgia-legacy\/\"><strong>Old University of Gandia<\/strong><\/a>. The walk can continue towards the <a href=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/museo-de-santa-clara-en-gandia\/\"><strong>Santa Clara Museum<\/strong><\/a> and other heritage sites in the centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As it is a place of worship, opening times and access conditions may change. Before travelling, check the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitgandia.com\/pag\/4532\/registro\/Web_php\/registro\/registro\/images\/rss\/index.php?contenido=fichaPoi_coconut&amp;id=6&amp;idNivel=4491&amp;idPoi=63&amp;mode=folder&amp;order=asc&amp;title=iglesia-beato-andres-hibernon%3Flang%3D4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>official Gandia tourist information<\/strong><\/a>. You can discover more context in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archivalencia.org\/la-iglesia-de-san-roque-de-gandia-erigida-santuario\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">history of the sanctuary published by the Archdiocese<\/a> and check its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/search\/?api=1&amp;query=Santuario+del+Beato+Andres+Hibernon+Gandia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">location on the map<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Photos_of_the_Church_of_the_Beato\"><\/span>Photos of the Church of the Beato<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"1948\" src=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/3df8e168-c824-4345-b63e-fcdef0d43f2f_16-9-discover-aspect-ratio_default_0-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Fa\u00e7ade of the Church of San Roque or Church of the Beato in Gandia\" class=\"wp-image-1948\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/3df8e168-c824-4345-b63e-fcdef0d43f2f_16-9-discover-aspect-ratio_default_0-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/3df8e168-c824-4345-b63e-fcdef0d43f2f_16-9-discover-aspect-ratio_default_0-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/3df8e168-c824-4345-b63e-fcdef0d43f2f_16-9-discover-aspect-ratio_default_0-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/3df8e168-c824-4345-b63e-fcdef0d43f2f_16-9-discover-aspect-ratio_default_0.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Neoclassical fa\u00e7ade of the Church of the Beato.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"1950\" src=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/beatet1-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Interior and high altar of the Church of the Beato in Gandia\" class=\"wp-image-1950\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/beatet1-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/beatet1-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/beatet1-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/beatet1-1.jpg 1234w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nave and high altar of the church.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" data-id=\"1949\" src=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/dca32892e3a91705701d61ec4453c117.webp\" alt=\"Sculpture of Blessed Andr\u00e9s Hibern\u00f3n in the historic centre of Gandia\" class=\"wp-image-1949\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/dca32892e3a91705701d61ec4453c117.webp 600w, https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/dca32892e3a91705701d61ec4453c117-225x300.webp 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sculpture of Blessed Andr\u00e9s Hibern\u00f3n beside the historic complex.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>History, art and visiting guide for the Church of San Roque or Church of the Beato in Gandia: Franciscan convent, sanctuary and Baroque heritage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1947,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"borgia26_language":"en","borgia26_translation_group":"iglesia-san-roque-beato-gandia","footnotes":""},"categories":[11,121,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-historia","category-ilustres","category-visitas-y-monumentos"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3143"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3143\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3181,"href":"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3143\/revisions\/3181"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotelborgia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}