Convent sights in Madrid
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Convento de las Descalzas Reales
The grim plateresque walls of the Convento de las Descalzas Reales offer no hint that behind the facade lies a sumptuous stronghold of the faith. Founded in 1559 by Juana of Austria, the widowed daughter of the Spanish king Carlos I, the convent quickly became one of Spain’s richest religious houses thanks to gifts from Juana’s noble friends. On the obligatory guided tour you’ll see a gaudily frescoed Renaissance stairway, a number of extraordinary tapestries based on works by Rubens, and a wonderful painting entitled The Voyage of the 11,000 Virgins. Some 33 nuns still live here and there are 33 chapels dotted around the convent.
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Convento de la Encarnación
Founded by Empress Margarita of Austria, the Convento de la Encarnación occupies a 17th-century mansion built in barroco madrileño style. It’s still inhabited by nuns of the Augustine order (Agustinas Recoletas). Inside there’s a unique collection of 17th- and 18th-century sculptures and paintings, as well as a handful of silver and gold reliquaries. The most famous contains the blood of San Pantaleón, which purportedly liquefies every year on 27 July, drawing throngs of the curious and the faithful.
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