Salobreña's Rosario church closed temporarily due to problems with the roof

Nuestra Señora del Rosario church in Salobreña will be temporarily closed after structural problems were detected in the roof of the central nave.

The measure, which has been taken as a precaution, is in response to the deterioration of the roof of the building, which has worsened in recent months by heavy rains, causing cracks to appear in different areas of the interior of the vault.

This decision was taken after technical consultations and inspection by specialists who analysed the state of the building and recommended that caution be exercised against the possibility of further deterioration and that restoration work begin as soon as possible.

The Bishopric of Granada has confirmed that the necessary intervention for the recovery of the church is already being studied. The specific work to be carried out has not yet been detailed, but the aim is to guarantee the conservation of the historical building.

It is not known when the work will begin, but for the moment, all religious activity has been moved to San Juan Bautista church, including services and Holy Week itineraries.

Most of the processions leave from Nuestra Señora del Rosario church but this year most of the processional routes will start from San Juan Bautista church. The only exception will be on Maundy Thursday, as some of the brotherhoods in the old quarter will maintain their departure in that area as they have headquarters there.

As well as affecting Holy Week, the closure of the church will affect other religious events planned for the coming months, such as communions, weddings and other celebrations.

The church, built on the site of the Muslim mosque, is in the Mudejar style of the 16th century and is one of the main religious and cultural landmarks of the town. The roof was destroyed by fire on 29 August 1821 and reconstruction work took 15 years.