Chiesa di Nostra Signora del Carmelo (Our Lady of Carmel Church), Alghero

Our Lady of Carmel Church (Chiesa di Nostra Signora del Carmelo), located in the heart of historic Alghero, is a captivating example of 17th-century religious architecture. Built in 1644 by two Catalan Carmelites, Briòs and Brunacho, the church was part of a larger Carmelite Monastery complex, which has since been lost to a fire in 1889. Despite the disappearance of the convent, the church has remained a cherished landmark, closely tied to Alghero’s Spanish-influenced history.

The sandstone exterior features a façade built in 1749, marked by a porticoed atrium that introduces visitors to the building. The gable design, supported by two corner pilasters, is divided into two sections. The upper level includes two windows that illuminate the women’s gallery, and within the tympanum, a now faint rose window can still be discerned. A modest bell tower with three arches, though only two bells, crowns the façade. The entrance is set above street level, accessible via a short series of steps leading through a grand arched doorway.

Inside, the church boasts a rectangular hall with a single central nave, capped by a barrel vault. On either side of the nave, three chapels line the walls, each with cross-vaulted ceilings and dedicated to various saints, including Saint Albert, Maria Maddalena de' Pazzi, and the Madonna of the Desperate. The apse features a striking gilded wooden retable, crafted by a Sassari artisan in the late 17th to early 18th century. It stands as the presbytery's focal point, raised by two steps and framed by a marble balustrade with a bas-relief of the Madonna and Child.

The interior's grandeur is further enriched by a Baroque altar and a finely carved wooden pulpit bearing the coat of arms of the Carmelite Order. The combination of these elements creates a space that reflects both the spiritual significance and artistic heritage of Alghero. The church, now part of the parish of the Immaculate Conception in the Diocese of Alghero-Bosa, remains a vibrant place of Catholic worship, standing as a historical and cultural testament to the city's rich past.