The Clerecia (Salamanca)
The building of the Royal College of the Holy Spirit of the Company of Jesus is known as the Clerecia Tower. Its long construction dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries, with a clear Baroque style, and its name stems from the Royal Clerecia of Saint Mark, which was later in charge of the Pontifical University from 1940.
Its architectural design presents a spectacular façade of three sections. The first has enormous Corinthian semi-columns guarding the three entrance doors, on which the heraldry of Spain and Saint Ignatius of Loyola appear. The second is decorated with Baroque-style ovals and a huge window, while the last presents beautiful sculptures and reliefs.
The interior of the building has a single nave with chapels between the buttresses. This is typical of the Jesuit scheme. You can also see a wide transverse nave and four sections, all with Tuscan-style pilasters, balconies over the side chapels and a spectacular 50-meter-high dome that illuminates the entire interior—the work of the prominent Jesuit architect Pedro Mato.
This spectacular construction also stands out for other elements of great significance, such as its main altarpiece, the work of the famous artist Juan Fernández, adorned with sculptures by Juan Rodríguez; the sacristy located behind the main altar covered with barrel vaults with lunettes; and the splendid study patio, the work of Andrés García de Quiñones.
In addition to its architectural beauty and imposing size, the Clerecia Tower has a rich artistic treasure, with almost 30 canvases decorating the main floor of the cloister. These works narrate the life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.
Its architectural design presents a spectacular façade of three sections. The first has enormous Corinthian semi-columns guarding the three entrance doors, on which the heraldry of Spain and Saint Ignatius of Loyola appear. The second is decorated with Baroque-style ovals and a huge window, while the last presents beautiful sculptures and reliefs.
The interior of the building has a single nave with chapels between the buttresses. This is typical of the Jesuit scheme. You can also see a wide transverse nave and four sections, all with Tuscan-style pilasters, balconies over the side chapels and a spectacular 50-meter-high dome that illuminates the entire interior—the work of the prominent Jesuit architect Pedro Mato.
This spectacular construction also stands out for other elements of great significance, such as its main altarpiece, the work of the famous artist Juan Fernández, adorned with sculptures by Juan Rodríguez; the sacristy located behind the main altar covered with barrel vaults with lunettes; and the splendid study patio, the work of Andrés García de Quiñones.
In addition to its architectural beauty and imposing size, the Clerecia Tower has a rich artistic treasure, with almost 30 canvases decorating the main floor of the cloister. These works narrate the life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.
Location
What to see in Salamanca
