The Convent of the Incarnation served as a religious temple, hospital and confraternity throughout the 15th century. It was not until the first half of the 16th century that it was used as a residence for religious people. The temple, with its Gothic façade and exuberant style, consists of a single nave, although after the disentailment process only a remnant of the architecture typical of Lower Andalusia remains. Today it is also known as the Parish Exhibition of Sacred Art Domus Dei.

The House-Palace of the Núñez de Prado served as the residence of the nobles until the end of the 19th century when it passed into the hands of private individuals, who dismantled the building. At the beginning of the next century, it was used as a flour factory or coffee roastery and nowadays it is used as a tenement house.

Another of Arcos’ emblematic religious buildings is the Saint Pedro’s Church, built on the site of an old Hispano-Muslim fortress of which part of a tower still remains, integrated into the cathedral. Built in the 16th century, the church has a single central nave, to which six chapels were added later, including the chapel of the Ayllones. The church houses a main altarpiece dating from 1547, which has a clear Flemish influence on Hispanic art of the period.

The Convent of the Mercedarian Sisters is the only cloistered monastery that remains in the town at present. Its construction was propelled by the donations made from Beatriz de la Calle, the main lady of Arcos, in 1642. Its chapel has a Baroque-style altarpiece with an image of Nuestra Señora de la Merced and Saint José. It also houses an image of the patron saint of the city, Saint Miguel, another of a baby Jesus and a cabinet, among other pieces.

The Church of Saint Agustín was originally built as the Saint Juan Letrán Convent, which served as home for the novices of the Emparedadas during the construction of the Convent of the Encarnación. Although it was built in 1539, it was not until 1586 that the Saint Agustín Order of the Observants founded its convent of Discalced Augustinian Friars. The monastery had 20 preachers, who taught philosophy, art and grammar at the beginning of the 18th century. At the beginning of the following century, its period of decadence began, with only 6 monks, who would abandon the temple after the amortizations of 1835.

The Hermitage of Saint Antonio Abad is a religious temple built in the old district of Zarahonda, at the request of the monks of this cult, who in 1681 seeked transfer of the oratory to this area of the municipality. Thus, the sanctuary, which remained under the patronage of the Dukes of Arcos, was in use until 1787 by the Saint Antonio Abad Hospital Order. In the mid-20th century, it fell into ruins, especially after the collapse of its vault in 1961, and was only restored a few years ago.

The Mayorazgo Palace was built in the 18th century and preserves the coat of arms of the Núñez de Prado family on its pediment. It currently houses the headquarters of the Municipal Delegation of Culture and dedicates different spaces to exhibitions. The lower part of the building houses the Municipal Art Gallery and the Andalusí Garden. Architecturally, it stands out for its two interior courtyards with columns and its halls with roofs decorated in wood.

The economic endowments contributed by Isabel de Palacios Espinosa, with the aim of founding an abbey of friars to serve as a burial place for her family, led to the construction of the Church of María Auxiliadora. Inaugurated in 1644, the building was used as a classroom for teaching theology and art. Inside, there are images such as that of Saint Pedro of Alcántara and a candlestick of the Fuensanta Virgin, dating from the 18th century.

The House of the Paletos, as it is known among the locals, is an emblematic building in the municipality. Although it has been owned by the local town hall since 1977, it has served as a home for many families for centuries. Since the 17th century, it has had multiple uses throughout history, from oil mill to inn or flour factory. The refurbishment work was carried out between 2014 and 2015.

The Matrera Gate is an enclave in the town that served as a key defense point in the easternmost part of the city. It consisted of four towers, a central cube and a pair of towers, of which only the one on the left, the Tribute Tower, remains. The gate has been rebuilt several times in the 17th and 18th centuries, and remains of the wall can still be seen between the houses next to it. In the upper part there is an arch with a simple vaulted chapel with a lantern that accompanies an image of the Virgen del Pilar, recently restored. It currently connects the Low Town with the old part of the municipality.

The Ducal Castle is a military fortress that served as a castle during the Nasrid period and which is preserved in its current state after the refurbishment carried out between the 14th and 15th centuries. The Tower of the Secret, the Adarve de Levante, the southern Flanquero Towers, the great Aljibe del Patio de Armas and the Merlones de Cobertura Piramidal are all from the same century. The castle is currently accessible through the arch where the Town Hall’s temple was located. The coat of arms of the Dukes of Arcos crowns the doorway and is currently a private property.

This platform was inaugurated in 1920 by the then mayor Juan José Velázquez-Gaztelu with the aim of crossing the Guadalete River. It was the solution to the destruction of the previous wooden viaducts by the river’s floods.

The Olivares Veas Theatre is a hall built at the beginning of the 20th century thanks to the endowments of the Círculo de la Unión of the municipality. Restored in 1994, it was inaugurated by Queen Sofia and is currently the stage for performances, concerts and school shows.

The remains of the old Arab Wall, a tabiya fortification of varying thickness, depending on its location, are preserved from the Muslim period. The enclosure had three main gates of which only one remains, the Matrera Door.

The Chapel of Mercy was originally used as a hospice for abandoned children and as a women’s home and hospital. Built in 1490 by the Marquises of Cadiz, it currently serves as an exhibition hall for cultural events and conferences. Its façade is in the central Gothic style and the only portraits of the Marquises of Cadiz that are still preserved today can be found inside.

Built by the foundation of the Duchess of Arcos, the Church of Saint Francisco began to be built at the beginning of the 16th century on the same site that was once occupied by a temple dedicated to Saint Antonio de Padua. The hermitage would become a school of Fide Propaganda at the end of the 17th century, until the convent was extinguished by the confiscations of Mendizábal, leaving only the church in operation. The basilica has only a central nave with three attached chapels in Gothic, Flamboyant and Baroque style. Inside, we can highlight elements such as the 17th century tiled plinth, a figure of the Purísima and another of the Infant Jesus, and the relief in the Capilla de las Ánimas.

Built by the foundation of the Duchess of Arcos, the Church of Saint Francisco began to be built at the beginning of the 16th century on the same site that was once occupied by a temple dedicated to Saint Antonio de Padua. The hermitage would become a school of Fide Propaganda at the end of the 17th century, until the convent was extinguished by the confiscations of Mendizábal, leaving only the church in operation. The basilica has only a central nave with three attached chapels in Gothic, Flamboyant and Baroque style. Inside, we can highlight elements such as the 17th century tiled plinth, a figure of the Purísima and another of the Infant Jesus, and the relief in the Capilla de las Ánimas.

The City of Arcos Interpretation Center is a reference point for the town’s monumental ensemble. The tourist office is located inside.

The El Romeral Hermitage is located close to the stream in the town and a cave where the image of a Christ was found. The temple was rebuilt thanks to the endowments of the nobleman Andrés Cabrera after the damage suffered by the riverbed of the stream. In 1765 it was restored as it is today. The image of the Cristo del Romeral is kept inside, dating from 1766, and is the object of a procession in the pilgrimage in his honor.

The García de Veas House-Palace, located in the lower part of the municipality, was another of the constructions built during the 18th century. Its façade preserves a stone coat of arms representing the García, Veas, Guerra, Sevillano, Lara and Ayllón surnames. A large central courtyard arranges the interior of the building.

Saint Miguel’s Church was originally a Muslim fortress, located on the top of a plain, until it was converted into a Christian temple in honor of Saint Miguel. It suffered a serious subsidence after the rains of 1684, so it had to be rebuilt during the 18th century. Although this space is not currently used for masses, it was used as a refuge for orphan girls and its use has been restricted to a cultural hall.

The River Mills are constructions that are still preserved today and are evidence of the agricultural development of the town. Driven by the course of the Guadalete river, they were used to mill grain and make bread. Still standing are the Saint Félix, Algarrobo, Saint Antón and Angorrilla mills, where parts of the mechanism can still be seen.

The Convent of Charity is a group of religious buildings from the second half of the 18th century. The octagonal-shaped church has two courtyards on either side, where two colonial-style doorways have been preserved. Religious images of Italian origin or the main altarpiece of the Virgen de la Caridad make up the decorations that are preserved inside.

The Town Hall of Arcos de la Frontera currently resides in the building that has housed it since its transfer in 1634. Its stone façade culminates in the Archangel Saint Miguel, patron saint of the municipality. The interior preserves artistic gems such as the Mudejar-style coffered ceiling of the assembly hall, a painting of Carlos IV, two life-size portraits of Espartero and the Arcos Captain General Moreno del Villar; and a painting donated by Joaquín Caballero in 1866 representing the decoration of three inhabitants of the municipality by Alfonso XI after the Battle of Salado.

The House-Palace of the Count of the Eagle was a Mudejar-Gothic style house, considered to be one of the architectural jewels of the town precisely due to the mixture of styles. Although it was built in the 15th century, after the street was lowered in 1852, its façade was raised even higher.

It was the first home of the noble family. Its façade, dating from the 18th century, preserves the coat of arms of the families that lived there: Andino, Gamaza, Bohórquez and Quintanilla. It was not until 1831 that it passed into the hands of the Marquis of Torresoto. The 18th century tile on the right-hand side of the façade bears witness to the fact that the families who lived in the Palace-House belonged to the Inquisition.

The House-Palace of Juan de Cuenca and Farfán de los Godos is a 17th century house that occupies the entire namesake street, in honor of the soldier who took part in helping Cadiz in 1625 against the British offensive. The building is organized around two large courtyards that are connected by a staircase. The façade houses a coat of arms of the Cuenca and Farfán de los Godos family.

The Minor Basilica of Saint María is the main and oldest temple in the municipality, declared a National Monument in 1931 and a Minor Basilica in 1993. Set on the remains of an old Arab mosque, the religious building has been built over six centuries, so its architecture shows the influence of different styles such as Gothic, Plateresque and Baroque. The church has three naves separated by pillars and houses a Renaissance altarpiece, a Gothic mural painting, the mummy of Saint Félix and the chapel of Las Nieves, with an image of the Patron Saint of the town.

The River Fountain is an ancient construction of great value among the inhabitants of Arcos, which was destroyed in 1629 by floods. The following year it was restored and today its remains can be found in the lower part of the town, giving its name to one of the neighborhoods of the municipality.

The Fathers of Mercy Order of the Jesuit would be in charge of running the convent of the same name. The nobleman Diego de Virués gave his house for this purpose and took charge of the expenses of its foundation. The Convent of the Jesuits would pass into the hands of the La Merced Order by concession of the king after the confiscations of 1785, leading to the expulsion of the monks who had resided there until then. It is currently used as a public school and is known as Virgen de las Nieves school.

The Convent-Hospital of Saint Juan de Dios was built in the 16th century as the hospital of Saint Sebastián together with a chapel, and in 1596 all the hospitals were restructured in this building. The most outstanding features of the building are the colonnaded courtyard and the Baroque-style staircase, which houses religious images such as a Flanders altarpiece in the same style, a Gothic-style image of the Cristo de la Vera-Cruz, and another sculpture of Nuestra Señora de la Angustia.