The Governing Council of the Community of Madrid approved this Wednesday the declaration of the Santiago and San Juan Bautista parish church as an Asset of Cultural Interest, in the category of Monument. This temple, dedicated to St. James and built in the 19th century, has been considered the official starting point of the Camino de Santiago in Madrid since 1997.

The Minister of the Presidency, Justice, and Local Administration, Miguel Ángel García Martín, announced this protection for the building, designed by architect Juan Antonio Cuervo. The construction replaced two ancient medieval churches and represents one of the Christian places of worship with the greatest historical tradition in the city.

The temple's architecture is notable for its facade, inspired by the Spanish style, and its Greek cross plan structure. Its heritage importance is accentuated by the historical continuity it maintains with the old churches of Santiago and San Juan Bautista, whose assets and documentation are preserved in the parish.

The bell tower houses pieces from those disappeared temples. The main bell comes from the old medieval church of San Juan Bautista, while the two medium bells come from the church of Santiago. A fourth, smaller bell originates from Chinchón.

The parish archive holds baptism, marriage, death, and burial records corresponding to the churches of Santiago and San Juan Bautista, as well as a third religious building. This documentary collection constitutes a significant historical value for the protected complex.

The parish currently houses movable assets of great artistic value, many of them predating the construction of the current temple and originating from the medieval churches that disappeared.

Among the preserved works are the paintings Santiago on horseback at the Battle of Clavijo, by Francisco Rizi, dated 1657, and Baptism of Jesus, by Juan Carreño de Miranda, from 1682. Both paintings are outstanding examples of religious art from the period.

The temple also houses significant sculptures, such as the carving of Beata Mariana de Jesús, by Julián de San Martín, and the image of San Juanito with the Lamb at his feet, attributed by various authors to Pedro Roldán or his daughter Luisa Roldán, known as La Roldana, both from the second half of the 17th century.

Completing the movable heritage is an 18th-century organ from the old church of San Juan, which has been adapted to the current space. The declaration as an Asset of Cultural Interest reinforces the protection of a temple deeply linked to Madrid's religious, artistic, and Jacobean history.