Iglesia de Santo Tomas y San Felipe Neri (Church of St. Thomas and St. Philip Neri), Valencia

The Church of Saint Thomas and Saint Philip Neri is one of Valencia’s finest Baroque showpieces—a neat illustration of 18th-century knowledge of how to make a church entrance with confidence...

Built in the 1720s and 1730s, it was designed under the guidance of Tomás Vicente Tosca, an architect, mathematician, urban planner, and clearly a man who liked his geometry with a side of drama. For inspiration, he looked toward Rome, especially the famous Church of Il Gesù, bringing a touch of Italian Baroque flair to Valencia.

Start with the façade. Its warm red brick is sharpened by pale stone details, giving the whole front a theatrical, almost stage-set quality. The lower section feels solid and grounded, with a broad entrance framed by classical elements. Above it, the upper section narrows elegantly, rising toward a triangular pediment and flanked by great curling volutes—a Baroque way of adding a flourish where a plain line would have done. Make due note of the pilasters, statues, corbels, and an 18th-century sundial—because, apparently, punctuality mattered even when eternity was the main subject...

Inside, the church follows a Latin cross plan. The nave is short but richly structured, covered by a barrel vault with lunettes, while the side chapels are crowned with small domes. The space opens dramatically at the transept, where a large central dome brings height, light, and a proper sense of occasion. The church also houses a notable collection of artworks, rewarding those who look beyond the architecture.

Originally, this was part of a larger complex belonging to the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri. The rest of it was demolished after secularization, but the church survived—rather gracefully, all things considered. In 1982, it was declared a National Historic and Artistic Monument, securing its place among Valencia’s architectural treasures.