Monastery of the Descalzas Reales (Madrid)
The Monastery of the Descalzas Reales, popularly known as the Descalzas Reales, is a Classicist cloistered monastery for Coletine Poor Clare nuns located in the homonymous square. It was founded in 1559 by Juana of Austria and is considered, along with the Monastery of the Incarnation, the monastery with the largest artistic and heritage collection in Madrid.
The monastery's origins are full of history. The site on which it was built belonged to one of the first palaces erected in Madrid during the reign of Alfonso VI. However, other archaeologists and historians have indicated that said palace was even more ancient.
This monumental monastery once occupied a much larger area; all its departments were located on a large plot of land designed for orchards that originally reached what is currently Preciados Street. It was sold to that community during the 19th century for purposes of building homes.
One of the monastery’s great attractions, in addition to its enormous artistic treasure, the product of countless donations and gifts from the Madrid aristocracy over the centuries, is the fact that it is the home of the remains of many nobles, among them members of the Bourbon and Dampierre families.
Another great attraction was the remodelling and restoration in the mid-20th century; an underground parking passageway was built in such a way that it provides access to the internal rooms and serves as a tourist route, which increased the monastery’s tourist appeal.
The monastery's origins are full of history. The site on which it was built belonged to one of the first palaces erected in Madrid during the reign of Alfonso VI. However, other archaeologists and historians have indicated that said palace was even more ancient.
This monumental monastery once occupied a much larger area; all its departments were located on a large plot of land designed for orchards that originally reached what is currently Preciados Street. It was sold to that community during the 19th century for purposes of building homes.
One of the monastery’s great attractions, in addition to its enormous artistic treasure, the product of countless donations and gifts from the Madrid aristocracy over the centuries, is the fact that it is the home of the remains of many nobles, among them members of the Bourbon and Dampierre families.
Another great attraction was the remodelling and restoration in the mid-20th century; an underground parking passageway was built in such a way that it provides access to the internal rooms and serves as a tourist route, which increased the monastery’s tourist appeal.
Location
Religious Buildings in Madrid
Civil Buildings in Madrid
Museums in Madrid
