- Joined
- Jan 6, 2013
- Messages
- 5,577
- Reaction score
- 11,225
1. The History
At the southern end of Santiponce, this exquisite, two-church former monastery was founded in 1301 by Alonso Pérez de Guzmán and his wife María Alonso de Coronel as a tomb for their ashes and as evidence of their piety. It was built on the site of a Mozarab hermitage, which, according to tradition, was where San Isidoro was buried until he was moved to the Collegiate Church in Leon in 1063. Over the centuries it hosted a succession of different religious orders, including the hermetic Hieronymite monks who embellished the Patio de Evangelistas with particularly striking 15th-century murals of saints and Mudéjar-style floral and geometric patterns.
All artistic styles are represented, Mudejar, the set is completed with the Cloister of the Dead and that of the Evangelists, the Sacristy and the Chapter House - both decorated in imitations of the Escorial - the refectory, Gothic Cloister, the Baroque Tower.
It was here that the Bible was first translated into Castilian (1569). It achieved the title of Historic Artistic Site of National Interest on 10 April 1872. The northern end of the monastery is open to the public but the lion’s share of the building is closed and in a state of semi-abandonment.
2. The Explore
Sometimes sites are on the edge of urban exploring and being a tourist attraction. This place ticks both boxes. As mentioned above, about a quarter of the site is open to the public. The majority, however, (including the wonderful Baroque Tower) is closed and in a semi-derelict state awaiting restoration. It was the latter part (naturally) that I sent myself the challenge to see. Sadly it was not to be, but given the glorious nature of the place I decided to do a report anyhow just using externals. Probably just as well as this would have been a pretty stiff test of Spanish Trespass Laws if I got gripped.
3. The Pictures
img4231 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img4232 by HughieDW, on Flickr
That Baroque Tower:
img4233 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img4235 by HughieDW, on Flickr
No way in here down the east flank:
img4237 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Nor from the north:
img4240 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img4247 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img4249 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Round to the west:
img4241 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img4242 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And on to the south:
img4243 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img4244 by HughieDW, on Flickr
No way in. Hey-ho. Here’s a nearby abandoned water tower:
img4230 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img4229 by HughieDW, on Flickr
At the southern end of Santiponce, this exquisite, two-church former monastery was founded in 1301 by Alonso Pérez de Guzmán and his wife María Alonso de Coronel as a tomb for their ashes and as evidence of their piety. It was built on the site of a Mozarab hermitage, which, according to tradition, was where San Isidoro was buried until he was moved to the Collegiate Church in Leon in 1063. Over the centuries it hosted a succession of different religious orders, including the hermetic Hieronymite monks who embellished the Patio de Evangelistas with particularly striking 15th-century murals of saints and Mudéjar-style floral and geometric patterns.
All artistic styles are represented, Mudejar, the set is completed with the Cloister of the Dead and that of the Evangelists, the Sacristy and the Chapter House - both decorated in imitations of the Escorial - the refectory, Gothic Cloister, the Baroque Tower.
It was here that the Bible was first translated into Castilian (1569). It achieved the title of Historic Artistic Site of National Interest on 10 April 1872. The northern end of the monastery is open to the public but the lion’s share of the building is closed and in a state of semi-abandonment.
2. The Explore
Sometimes sites are on the edge of urban exploring and being a tourist attraction. This place ticks both boxes. As mentioned above, about a quarter of the site is open to the public. The majority, however, (including the wonderful Baroque Tower) is closed and in a semi-derelict state awaiting restoration. It was the latter part (naturally) that I sent myself the challenge to see. Sadly it was not to be, but given the glorious nature of the place I decided to do a report anyhow just using externals. Probably just as well as this would have been a pretty stiff test of Spanish Trespass Laws if I got gripped.
3. The Pictures
img4231 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img4232 by HughieDW, on Flickr
That Baroque Tower:
img4233 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img4235 by HughieDW, on Flickr
No way in here down the east flank:
img4237 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Nor from the north:
img4240 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img4247 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img4249 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Round to the west:
img4241 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img4242 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And on to the south:
img4243 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img4244 by HughieDW, on Flickr
No way in. Hey-ho. Here’s a nearby abandoned water tower:
img4230 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img4229 by HughieDW, on Flickr