Monastery of the Holy Face (Alicante)

Monastery of the Holy Face (Alicante)


The Monastery of the Holy Face, also called “La Verónica,” belongs to the order of the Lateran Canon Regular nuns of Saint Augustine. The name of the monastery stems from the fact that the Holy Face of Alicante is treasured inside. According to tradition, this is one of the folds with which a disciple of Christ named Verónica wiped the face of Christ during his ascent to Calvary.

Its construction is uncertain because there is no official documentation, but historians believe that it might be dated between 1557 and 1584.

The architectural ensemble of the monastery includes the main church, the construction attached to one of its side towers and the rest of the buildings within its enclosure, all of which is the product of a long sequence of reforms, inclusions and additions over the centuries, especially during the 18th century, when it stood out for its current Baroque style.

It is worth noting the altarpiece of the main altar, with a neo-Baroque style. After the Spanish Civil War, it underwent an important restoration at the hands of the famous architect Juan Vidal Ramos.

Of the entire architectural complex, the tower is the only aspect that exists from the original 16th-century building. It has three levels with an accessible terrace, but with a blinded basement. Its volume is truncated pyramidal, and it has a rectangular plan raised on a pyramidal plinth.

Although it is still standing, the tower underwent certain changes due, in part, to its defensive design, which includes machicolations to the north and south and embrasures to the north and east.
   
 
Location


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    A Coruña
    Alicante
    Almeria
    Barcelona
    Bilbao
    Burgos
    Caceres
    Cadiz
    Cordoba
    Girona
    Granada
    Huelva
    Leon
    Madrid
    Malaga
    Murcia
    Oviedo
    Palma
    Salamanca
    Santander
    Santiago
    Segovia
    Seville
    Toledo
    Valencia
    Valladolid
    Zaragoza