From July 9, 2013 to January 12, 2014 is available at the Regional Archaeological Museum the exhibition “Fragor Hannibalis. Anibal in Hispania” the new temporary exhibition of the Museum through the figure of General and Prince Hannibal Barca, discloses traces of Punic culture in the Iberian Peninsula.
When: From July 9 to January 12, 2014.
The Convent of the Clarisas of San Diego is well known by the delicious Almonds of Alcalá that are made in it. It is a unique building, located a few meters from the University of Alcalá.
On the convent façade, whose principal architectonical feature is the simplicity of its lines, it stands out the image of San Diego de Alcalá, who was canonized by Sixto V in 1568. The figure holds a cross and miraculous flowers in his hands, though they are roughly visible due to its security metallic grilles. The Saint remains were removed from the silver urn they were kept in, into the Magisterial Church—current Magisterial Cathedral—and placed here to clean it in 1967.
The presence of the Cisneros Cardinal coat of arms is another important element to stand out within the main door. This presence is explained on account of the allocation of the University printing—founded by the Cardinal—inside the houses María Fernández, aunt of Catalina, gave to the school. Hence, historian has concluded that the famous Complutensian Polyglot Bible could be printed in there.
Outside, in the small square and before resuming your walk, you have the possibility of taking a sit on one of the stone benches and contemplating the bronze statue of Carrillo Archbishop, made by the sculptor Santiago de Santiago in 1987… while savoring some Almonds of Alcalá from the nuns.
The Convent of the Clarisas of San Diego was founded in 1671 by doña Catalina García Fernández. Catalina García was the youngest of five children, daughter of don Bartolomé García and doña Catalina Fernández. She was born in Santorcaz in 1639, and lost her mother that same year. Thus, her aunt, María Fernández—who lived in a house today part of the convent—took charge of her. Catalina García got married at the age of fifteen, had three children and widowed in 1662. Since that moment, she tried to join one of the three Alcalá’s Franciscan Convents; although, it was not until 1665 when she got into the Franciscan Convent with the habits of the Third Order of Penance, and chose the name of Catalina de Jesús y San Francisco. In 1671, a school for girls—named Doncellas Pobres de Santa Clara—was created in a part of the house that her aunt, María Fernández, had previously donated with that aim. Afterwards, the school was turned into a beguinage (reason why they are called beguines) and later, into the monastery that it is today.
Almonds of Alcalá are Alcalá’s sweets par excellence, in addition to costrada and ring-shape pastries. Probably of Arabic origin, there are documentary evidences of its existence since eighteenth century, so they have been traditionally famous as Alcalá’s gastronomic ambassadors.
Almonds of Alcalá are made with almonds and toasted sugar syrup. It is a simple but exquisite recipe, used with expertise by the enclosed Convent of the Clarisas of San Diego, whose nuns are called “almonders”. The nuns of the Order of St Claire had worked as dressmakers from time immemorial, and are also known as “Diegas of Alcalá” by being their patron San Diego of Alcalá.
If you are in Alcalá and fancy to get the delicious city’s souvenir in question, you just have to get closer to city center, to calle Beatas, on the corner of plaza de San Diego—where the University is situated. There, the Convent of the Clarisas of San Diego is placed, a modest building of plastered façade, in front of which Alonso de Carrillo archbishop’s statue is set.
Buying Almonds of Alcalá is a real ritual, in as much as you are purchasing in a convent versus a conventional shop. First, you should go through the wooden main door to access an anteroom covered of glazed tiles, there, a small window prevent from taking a sight of the inside. On top of it, a collection of samples is provided: all kind of chests, boxes and packages made of wood, cardboard or plastic, and also different sizes and weights are showed, with their correspondent prices.
Through the small window or turnstile—name this way because its swevelling—you will call the nuns and make your order, receive it and pay it, without seeing the face of the woman who is serving you, as she is an enclosed nun.
Buying Almonds of Alcalá from nuns is not only a commercial exchange but also a revival of the traditions of Alcalá’s convents, from such a peaceful square where you can enjoy the façade of the Cisnerian University.
[gdl_gallery title=”almendras-garrapinadas” width=”120″ height=”95″]
Este texto también está disponible en español
The Convent of the Clarisas of San Diego is well known by the delicious Almonds of Alcalá that are made in it. It is a unique building, located a few meters from the University of Alcalá.
On the convent façade, whose principal architectonical feature is the simplicity of its lines, it stands out the image of San Diego de Alcalá, who was canonized by Sixto V in 1568. The figure holds a cross and miraculous flowers in his hands, though they are roughly visible due to its security metallic grilles. The Saint remains were removed from the silver urn they were kept in, into the Magisterial Church—current Magisterial Cathedral—and placed here to clean it in 1967.
The presence of the Cisneros Cardinal coat of arms is another important element to stand out within the main door. This presence is explained on account of the allocation of the University printing—founded by the Cardinal—inside the houses María Fernández, aunt of Catalina, gave to the school. Hence, historian has concluded that the famous Complutensian Polyglot Bible could be printed in there.
Outside, in the small square and before resuming your walk, you have the possibility of taking a sit on one of the stone benches and contemplating the bronze statue of Carrillo Archbishop, made by the sculptor Santiago de Santiago in 1987… while savoring some Almonds of Alcalá from the nuns.
The Convent of the Clarisas of San Diego was founded in 1671 by doña Catalina García Fernández. Catalina García was the youngest of five children, daughter of don Bartolomé García and doña Catalina Fernández. She was born in Santorcaz in 1639, and lost her mother that same year. Thus, her aunt, María Fernández—who lived in a house today part of the convent—took charge of her. Catalina García got married at the age of fifteen, had three children and widowed in 1662. Since that moment, she tried to join one of the three Alcalá’s Franciscan Convents; although, it was not until 1665 when she got into the Franciscan Convent with the habits of the Third Order of Penance, and chose the name of Catalina de Jesús y San Francisco. In 1671, a school for girls—named Doncellas Pobres de Santa Clara—was created in a part of the house that her aunt, María Fernández, had previously donated with that aim. Afterwards, the school was turned into a beguinage (reason why they are called beguines) and later, into the monastery that it is today.
Almonds of Alcalá are Alcalá’s sweets par excellence, in addition to costrada and ring-shape pastries. Probably of Arabic origin, there are documentary evidences of its existence since eighteenth century, so they have been traditionally famous as Alcalá’s gastronomic ambassadors.
Almonds of Alcalá are made with almonds and toasted sugar syrup. It is a simple but exquisite recipe, used with expertise by the enclosed Convent of the Clarisas of San Diego, whose nuns are called “almonders”. The nuns of the Order of St Claire had worked as dressmakers from time immemorial, and are also known as “Diegas of Alcalá” by being their patron San Diego of Alcalá.
If you are in Alcalá and fancy to get the delicious city’s souvenir in question, you just have to get closer to city center, to calle Beatas, on the corner of plaza de San Diego—where the University is situated. There, the Convent of the Clarisas of San Diego is placed, a modest building of plastered façade, in front of which Alonso de Carrillo archbishop’s statue is set.
Buying Almonds of Alcalá is a real ritual, in as much as you are purchasing in a convent versus a conventional shop. First, you should go through the wooden main door to access an anteroom covered of glazed tiles, there, a small window prevent from taking a sight of the inside. On top of it, a collection of samples is provided: all kind of chests, boxes and packages made of wood, cardboard or plastic, and also different sizes and weights are showed, with their correspondent prices.
Through the small window or turnstile—name this way because its swevelling—you will call the nuns and make your order, receive it and pay it, without seeing the face of the woman who is serving you, as she is an enclosed nun.
Buying Almonds of Alcalá from nuns is not only a commercial exchange but also a revival of the traditions of Alcalá’s convents, from such a peaceful square where you can enjoy the façade of the Cisnerian University.
El Convento de los Trinitarios Descalzos es un gran ejemplo de las glorias y miserias de la ciudad de Alcalá de Henares, pues de su nacimiento por unos frailes pobres, pasó a ser impulsado por un noble de origen genovés, convirtiéndose ya en el siglo XIX en cuartel de la caballería militar, después Comandancia Militar y en los últimos años ser restaurado y albergar el universitario Instituto Franklin de Investigación en Estudios Norteamericanos.
A la intensa historia de la ciudad de Alcalá que se refleja como en un espejo en este Convento de los Trinitarios Descalzos, hay que añadir el cruce de destinos de la orden religiosa con el padre de la novela española, Miguel de Cervantes. Este célebre escritor fue rescatado en 1580, tras cinco años de cautiverio en las prisiones de Argel, por los frailes trinitarios Juan Gil y Antonio de la Bella, quienes pagaron a los sarracenos quinientos escudos por liberar al escritor.
El Convento de los Trinitarios Descalzos fue fundado en 1601 por el santo Juan Bautista de la Concepción, que había estudiado Teología en Alcalá, y quien también fundó la orden de los Trinitarios Descalzos, reformando la de los Trinitarios Calzados con normas más estrictas.
El Convento de los Trinitarios Descalzos está situado en la calle del mismo nombre y que da a la plaza de Cervantes, hace escuadra con el colegio de Málaga, sede de la facultad de Filosofía y Letras de la universidad de Alcalá. Primero fue una casa pequeña la que adquirió el fundador, que daba al callejón de Mataperros, y un par de años después compró un par de casas más, donde él y sus compañeros instalaron un hospicio.
El lugar se fue ampliando, y tras algunos roces con el colegio de Málaga, intercambiaron terrenos y ya en 1626 se empezó a construir el convento, que, terminado en 1639, se unió a la ciudad universitaria diseñada por Cisneros.
Sin embargo, la iglesia tardó más tiempo. Comenzó a construirse a partir de 1649 gracias al decidido patrocinio del marqués de Monesterio e importante financiero italiano Octavio Centurión, quien además siguió manteniendo a la comunidad religiosa. La obra está atribuida al maestro Sebastián de la Plaza, que tiene su lugar en el callejero alcalaíno, cerca de la plaza de los Cuatro Caños o Puerta de Mártires.
Aquí no encontrarás ningún suspense como en la famosa película de Hitchcock, pero sí el silencio reflexivo propio tanto de los templos, los claustros conventuales y las bibliotecas, pues no en vano aquí hay no una, sino varias.
Los once escalones son los de la escalinata que se debe subir para acceder a la pequeña lonja, o atrio descubierto con un muro bajo alrededor, delante de la entrada de tres arcos de medio punto, por los que se pasa a la iglesia, dado que el convento está a la izquierda de la fachada, en el que hallarás un patio de dos alturas con arcos.
Que la iglesia y colegio-convento estén por encima del nivel de la calle, de manera que su sótano es la planta de calle, como podrás observar en la parte lateral de la calle San Julián, hace que sea uno de los edificios más peculiares del conjunto monumental alcalaíno, al destacar claramente entre las construcciones colindantes.
La planta de la iglesia del Convento de los Trinitarios Descalzos es de cruz latina de cuatro tramos, con una cúpula sobre el crucero o centro que desde fuera se ve como una torre cuadrangular, siguiendo el esquema trazado por Juan de Herrera y su discípulo Francisco de Mora, y que conformó el estilo típico de las iglesias de todo el siglo XVII en España.
En 1994, tras pasar el edificio de los Trinitarios a la universidad, se quitó un balcón que había en pleno centro de la fachada, y se colocaron en su lugar los escudos de su patrono, Octavio Centurión, el de la Comandancia Militar y el de la Universidad de Alcalá, así como dos blasones de la Orden Trinitaria flanqueando la ventana que ilumina el coro, en el frontón triangular superior, para reflejar las diferentes etapas por las que ha pasado.
Una curiosidad relativa a este Convento de los Trinitarios Descalzos es que contaba con algo de gran valor: nieve almacenada. Tenía un pozo de nieve, que era uno de los pocos y raros lujos que podía tener una comunidad religiosa, al igual que la ciudad tenía algunas balsas de nieve a buen resguardo en los montes cercanos o como en el convento, en sótanos bajo pozos.
Después, como hielo o pulverizada, se usaba en la comida y bebida y además se vendía, de manera que era un monopolio para el que había que tener expresa licencia real y estaba sujeta a impuestos. De ello da fe el dato de que los Trinitarios Calzados tenían el suyo, que les permitía, por ejemplo, poder consumir 1.408 libras de nieve en el año de 1771.
En 1839, tras la Desamortización por la que el Gobierno de la época expropió numerosos bienes a a la iglesia católica, tanto la iglesia como el convento fueron cedidos al Arma de Caballería, lo que motivó que el interior se transformase para los usos propios del ejército. Mucho más tarde, pasó a ser la Comandancia Militar, lo que trajo nuevas modificaciones, como que a los lados de la escalera estuviesen dos cañones decorativos.
Tras la restauración al que el convento e iglesia fueron sometidos por la universidad en 1996, con la que se trató de recuperar su estado primitivo, es la sede del Centro de Estudios Norteamericanos, que incluye fondos del Instituto “Benjamin Franklin” y de la Biblioteca Cervantina, con cerca de treinta mil volúmenes de consulta y préstamo.
The Discalced Trinitarian Convent is a great example of the glories and miseries of the city of Alcalá. Since its foundation by modest monks, it has been promoted by a noble with Finnish origin, turned into a quarter of cavalry during the nineteenth century, into Command Headquarter, and over the last years it was restored to hold the university Instituto Franklin of Researching in relation to American Studies.
To the intense history of Alcalá, reflected as if it was a mirror in this Discalced Trinitarian Convent, it should be added the crossing of destinies of the religious order with the father of the Spanish novel, Miguel de Cervantes. The notable writer was rescued in 1580 by Trinitarian monks— Juan Gil and Antonio de la Bella, who paid to Saracens five hundred escudos (old Spanish currency) to release the writer—from the prisons of Algiers after five years of captivity.
The Discalced Trinitarian Convent was founded in 1601 by the Saint Juan Bautista de la Concepción, who studied theology in Alcalá, and who also founded the Order of the Discalced Trinitarian by reforming that of Trinitariansadding stricter rules.
The Discalced Trinitarian Convent is situated in the street with the same name which leads to plaza de Cervantes, and square with colegio de Málaga—head office of the faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the University of Alcalá. First, it was a small house purchased by the founder, which looks out onto callejón de Mataperos, and a couple of years later he bought a pair of more houses, where he and his companions allocated an hospice.
The place was gradually extended until, after some frictions with colegio de Málaga, they exchanged their lands. In 1626, the convent started to be constructed, ended in 1639, it was linked to the university campus designed by Cisneros.
However, the church settlement took more time. The construction began in 1649 thanks to the resolute sponsorship of the marquis of Monasterio and the important Italian financial Octavio Centurión—who besides supported for a long time the religious community. The work is attributed to the maestro Sebastián de la Plaza, who occupies its place in an alley of Alcalá, near plaza de los Cuatro Caños or Puerta de Mártires.
Unlike Hitchcock movie, you will not find any suspense in the reflexive silence typical of temples, cloisters of convents and libraries, so not for nothing there are not one, but several.
The eleven steps are those of the flight of stairs in which top you may access to a small market—or open-air porch—with a low wall surrounding it. Placed in front of the three Roman arches entry—through which you access the church—you will find a two-height garden with arches, on the left of the façade and next to the convent.
The fact is that the church and the school-convent are above the street level. Thus, the basement is the ground floor—as you may observe in a side of the calle San Julián—, giving the building a rather peculiar aspect within the whole monumental center of Alcalá, clearly outstanding among adjoining buildings.
The church inside the Discalced Trinitarian Convent has the Crux immisa shape, divided in four sections, with a dome over the transept—or center—which is seen from the outside as a square tower, following the outline of a design of Juan de Herrera and his disciple Francisco de Mora. Their style has been strengthened as the typical of seventeenth-century Spanish churches.
In 1994, after going past the Trinitarians building and the university, a balcony of the center of the façade was removed and in its place, its patron coats of arms were placed—Octavio Centurión, Command Headquarter and the University of Alcalá, as well as two emblems of the Trinitarian Order flanking the window enlightening the chorus, from the superior triangular pediment reflecting the different stages by which the convent went by.
A curiosity related to the Discalced Trinitarian Convent is that it counted on something of great value: stored snow. A snow well was one of the few and rare luxuries that a religious community could have, a luxury the city holds as well, as it had some snow storages safely hidden in the closest hills or in the convent, into wells at the basement.
Afterwards, like ice or powdered, the snow was used as food and drink. It was also possible to sell it under the possession of a Royal license that gives the vendor the monopoly of the market, only subjected to taxes. The original Trinitarians had their own license, vouching that royalty allowed them, for instance, consuming 1408 pounds of snow during the year 1771.
In 1839, after the Ecclesiastical Confiscation by which the Government of that period expropriated numerous goods to the Catholic Church, both the church and the convent were ceded to Arma de Caballería, which motivated that the inside was allocated for uses characteristics of the army. Later on, it became the Command Headquarter, which conveyed new alterations, like two decorative cannons placed aside the staircase.
After the restoration undertaken by the university in both, convent and church, in 1996, the original state was tried to be recovered. Today, it is the head office of the Center of American Studies, including collections from Instituto ” Benjamin Franklin” and from Cervantes’ Library, with near thirty thousand reference and lending volumes.
Este texto también está disponible en español
The Discalced Trinitarian Convent is a great example of the glories and miseries of the city of Alcalá. Since its foundation by modest monks, it has been promoted by a noble with Finnish origin, turned into a quarter of cavalry during the nineteenth century, into Command Headquarter, and over the last years it was restored to hold the university Instituto Franklin of Researching in relation to American Studies.
To the intense history of Alcalá, reflected as if it was a mirror in this Discalced Trinitarian Convent, it should be added the crossing of destinies of the religious order with the father of the Spanish novel, Miguel de Cervantes. The notable writer was rescued in 1580 by Trinitarian monks— Juan Gil and Antonio de la Bella, who paid to Saracens five hundred escudos (old Spanish currency) to release the writer—from the prisons of Algiers after five years of captivity.
The Discalced Trinitarian Convent was founded in 1601 by the Saint Juan Bautista de la Concepción, who studied theology in Alcalá, and who also founded the Order of the Discalced Trinitarian by reforming that of Trinitariansadding stricter rules.
The Discalced Trinitarian Convent is situated in the street with the same name which leads to plaza de Cervantes, and square with colegio de Málaga—head office of the faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the University of Alcalá. First, it was a small house purchased by the founder, which looks out onto callejón de Mataperos, and a couple of years later he bought a pair of more houses, where he and his companions allocated an hospice.
The place was gradually extended until, after some frictions with colegio de Málaga, they exchanged their lands. In 1626, the convent started to be constructed, ended in 1639, it was linked to the university campus designed by Cisneros.
However, the church settlement took more time. The construction began in 1649 thanks to the resolute sponsorship of the marquis of Monasterio and the important Italian financial Octavio Centurión—who besides supported for a long time the religious community. The work is attributed to the maestro Sebastián de la Plaza, who occupies its place in an alley of Alcalá, near plaza de los Cuatro Caños or Puerta de Mártires.
Unlike Hitchcock movie, you will not find any suspense in the reflexive silence typical of temples, cloisters of convents and libraries, so not for nothing there are not one, but several.
The eleven steps are those of the flight of stairs in which top you may access to a small market—or open-air porch—with a low wall surrounding it. Placed in front of the three Roman arches entry—through which you access the church—you will find a two-height garden with arches, on the left of the façade and next to the convent.
The fact is that the church and the school-convent are above the street level. Thus, the basement is the ground floor—as you may observe in a side of the calle San Julián—, giving the building a rather peculiar aspect within the whole monumental center of Alcalá, clearly outstanding among adjoining buildings.
The church inside the Discalced Trinitarian Convent has the Crux immisa shape, divided in four sections, with a dome over the transept—or center—which is seen from the outside as a square tower, following the outline of a design of Juan de Herrera and his disciple Francisco de Mora. Their style has been strengthened as the typical of seventeenth-century Spanish churches.
In 1994, after going past the Trinitarians building and the university, a balcony of the center of the façade was removed and in its place, its patron coats of arms were placed—Octavio Centurión, Command Headquarter and the University of Alcalá, as well as two emblems of the Trinitarian Order flanking the window enlightening the chorus, from the superior triangular pediment reflecting the different stages by which the convent went by.
A curiosity related to the Discalced Trinitarian Convent is that it counted on something of great value: stored snow. A snow well was one of the few and rare luxuries that a religious community could have, a luxury the city holds as well, as it had some snow storages safely hidden in the closest hills or in the convent, into wells at the basement.
Afterwards, like ice or powdered, the snow was used as food and drink. It was also possible to sell it under the possession of a Royal license that gives the vendor the monopoly of the market, only subjected to taxes. The original Trinitarians had their own license, vouching that royalty allowed them, for instance, consuming 1408 pounds of snow during the year 1771.
In 1839, after the Ecclesiastical Confiscation by which the Government of that period expropriated numerous goods to the Catholic Church, both the church and the convent were ceded to Arma de Caballería, which motivated that the inside was allocated for uses characteristics of the army. Later on, it became the Command Headquarter, which conveyed new alterations, like two decorative cannons placed aside the staircase.
After the restoration undertaken by the university in both, convent and church, in 1996, the original state was tried to be recovered. Today, it is the head office of the Center of American Studies, including collections from Instituto ” Benjamin Franklin” and from Cervantes’ Library, with near thirty thousand reference and lending volumes.
¿Te apetece un día de compras? El Centro Comercial Alcalá Magna dispone de 34.000 metros cuadrados de superficie para alojar todo tipo de tiendas, en total 100 establecimientos y 1500 plazas de aparcamiento gratuito.
Entre las tiendas más emblemáticas figuran las del grupo Inditex (Zara, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Pull & Bear, Oysho), C&A, H&M, Cortefiel, Sfera, Amichi, Benetton, etc. También tiene un Mercadona para realizar tus compras de alimentación y droguería, diversos restaurantes como Vip’s, Muerde la Pasta o Wok & Teppanyaki, cafeterías y un gimnasio (Virgin Active Alcalá).
Acceder a él es muy sencillo, puedes hacerlo en autobús (líneas 3 y 2) o incluso caminando, porque está a unos 15 minutos el centro de Alcalá.
[gdl_gallery title=”alcala-magna” width=”275″ height=”200″]
Desde Madrid
Desde Alcalá
Calle: Valentín Juara Bellot 4
28806 Alcalá de Henares
Teléfono: +34 830 51 51
Shopping day?
Discover the newest shopping center in Alcalá de Henares. Built in 2007, it has about 100 different shops (clothes, shoes, books, mobile phones, restaurants, food and so on), and it’s easily reachable by bus (lines 3 and 2) or even walking as it is near the center of Alcala (about 15 minutes).
[gdl_gallery title=”alcala-magna” width=”170″ height=”120″]
Calle: Valentín Juara Bellot 4
Teléfono: +34 830 51 51
La Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor pertenecía al Colegio Máximo de los Jesuitas, situado al lado, y su fachada es la más monumental, tras la de la Universidad, de toda Alcalá.
El la Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor destacan su impresionante portada y sus capillas, entre ellas la renovada de las Santas Formas, dedicada al milagro que conservaba incorruptibles una colección de hostias consagradas.
Se comenzó a construir en 1567, pero tres años después se pararon las obras por problemas económicos, solventados gracias a las donaciones de María y Catalina de Mendoza. Trazada por el padre Bartolomé de Bustamante, su construcción fue dirigida por los maestros arquitectos Francisco de Mora y su sobrino Juan Gómez de Mora, que la terminaron en 1620 , y cinco años después, la fachada.
El estilo de la Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor siguió los estrictos y nuevos conceptos arquitectónicos dictados tras el Concilio de Trento, en los que se fusionaba lo antiguo con lo nuevo, pero dando una gran importancia a la función de lugar de reunión de los fieles, que tenían que ser simétricos y tener buena acústica.
El gran modelo para los templos hechos por la Compañía de Jesús fue la iglesia del Gesú de Roma, y el gran ejemplo de tal estilo en España, en los siglos XVII y XVIII, es precisamente la iglesia de los Jesuitas de Alcalá, actual sede de la parroquia de Santa María la Mayor -que antes estuvo en la plaza de Cervantes hasta su incendio en 1936-.
En la impresionante fachada de la Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor es de destacar las dobles columnas gigantes, que presentan las imágenes de San Pedro y San Pablo, abajo, y en la parte superior, las de San Ignacio de Loyola y de San Francisco Javier, todas ellas esculpidas por el portugués Manuel Pereira. También se pueden apreciar dos escudos de las Mendoza, sobre unos frontones de arco.
En el interior de la Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor se respira una sensación de grandeza, a lo que contribuyen sus dimensiones, tanto de la planta y las capillas laterales, como de la altura y la propia cúpula. El retablo principal es de destacar como muestra de transición del estilo herreriano al barroco, y por la espléndida custodia que contiene.
Desde la Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor se accede a la capilla de las Santas Formas, levantada en 1718 y restaurada en 2011, llamada así para conmemorar el milagro de veinticuatro hostias consagradas que no se descomponían nunca, y que tienen una historia llena de avatares, ocurrido en los finales del siglo XVI (más información aquí). Alberga importantes pinturas murales del pintor Juan Vicente de la Ribera, de 1699.
El milagro ocurrió a partir de que un morisco, el 1 de mayo de 1597, que había robado veintiséis formas de alguna iglesia, se arrepintió y fue a confesarse con el padre jesuita Juan Juárez, en la iglesia que había donde después se construiría la actual de los Jesuitas o de Santa María la Mayor.
Las hostias no se usaron en ninguna misa, por temor a que pudieran estar envenenadas, cosa que ya había ocurrido, ni las destruyeron porque se consideraba irrespetuoso hacerlo al estar consagradas. Por ello, se guardaron en una cajita de plata, esperando que se corrompieran, momento en el que se podrían desechar definitivamente.
Sin embargo, ocurrió que no se descompusieron, y tras ser sometidas a diversas pruebas, se proclamó el milagro de su incorruptibilidad en 1619. A partir de ese momento se expandió su culto popular, con la total aprobación de las autoridades eclesiásticas, recibiendo todo tipo de indulgencias papales y contando con un día propio de fiesta, la cual se fijó en el quinto domingo después del de Resurrección, a mediados de mayo.
El culto a las Santas Formas alcanzó tal magnitud desde los primeros momentos que ya cuando fueron guardadas en la iglesia de los Jesuitas, en su capilla, recién terminada, se celebró una gran procesión a la que acudió el rey Felipe III y su esposa la reina Margarita de Austria junto con todas las autoridades civiles y religiosas alcalaínas, recorriendo con toda solemnidad las calles de nuestra ciudad, engalanadas para tal ocasión con tapices y colgaduras.
En 1777 las Santas Formas se trasladaron a la Catedral Magistral, y los fieles acudían en tal cantidad que hubo que regular su asistencia. También acudieron a rendirles culto numerosos monarcas, como Carlos II, Carlos III (en 1759), José Bonaparte, en 1810, (a quien se atribuye la donación de un anillo que coronaba la cruz de la custodia donde estaban las Santas Formas), Fernando VII (en 1816), Alfonso XII y la reina María Cristina en 1880.
Con el incendio de la Catedral Magistral en 1936 desaparecieron esa custodia y las propias Santas Formas, y después de la guerra desapareció también la celebración de lo que había sido la fiesta más importante y popular de Alcalá, más que la de los Santos Niños, la de la Virgen del Val, o las fiestas de fin de agosto.
Next to the Jesuit institution Colegio Máximo and as part of it, the Santa María la Mayor Church—with the Alcalá’s most monumental façade after that of the University—is placed.
Into the building of Santa María la Mayor Church, the façade and chapels stands out. Among these chapels, the renovated chapel of Santas Formas is dedicated to the miracle of the incorruptible collection of consecrated wafers.
Its construction started at 1567, but after three years, the works were stopped due to economic problems that were solved thanks to María and Catalina de Mendoza donations. Bartolomé de Bustamante’s father designed the building, and its construction was leaded by the architects Francisco de Mora and his nephew Juan Gómez de Mora, who finished it in 1620 and its façade five years after.
The style of the Santa María la Mayor Church followed the strict and new architectonic concepts dictated by the Council of Trent, where the old and new were merged conferring great importance to the faithful meeting place—which symmetrical shape and good acoustics.
The prime example of Society of Jesus temples was the Church of the Gesù in Rome, and the typical model of that style in Spain, within seventeenth and eighteenth century, is precisely the Jesuit church in Alcalá. Currently, the Jesuit church has been replaced by the Santa María la Mayor Church—which, until a fire in 1936, was situated at Plaza de Cervantes.
The Santa María la Mayor Church impressive façade comprises giant double columns with several relevant images. While in the upper part Saint Ignatius of Loyola and Saint Francis Xavier are represented, in the lower part images of Saint Peter and Saint Paul are sculpted, all of them by the Portuguese Manuel Pereira. Over the arch pediments, the two Mendoza’s coats of arms can be appreciated.
A feeling of greatness is breathed in the inside of Santa María la Mayor Church transmitted through its dimensions—both main floor and side chapels—and the height of the dome. The main altarpiece and its splendid monstrance attract attention and show the transition style to Herrerian Baroque.
The entrance to Santas Formas chapel is placed inside Santa María la Mayor Church. The chapel put up in 1718 and restored in 2011, was named commemorating the miracle of the twenty-four consecrated wafers that never rot and whose history—full of ups and downs—, took place at the end of sixteenth century (read more). Important mural paintings of Juan Vicente de la Ribera, dating back from 1699, are kept.
The miracle happened on May 1st, 1597, when a Moorish stole twenty-six figures from a church and, regretting it, confessed his sins to the Jesuit father Juan Juárez—in the church placed where after the actual Jesuitas or Santa María la Mayor Church would be constructed.
The wafers were not used in any mass for fear of them being poisoned—which had already happened before—but they were not destroyed because, as they were already consecrated, it might has been considered disrespectful. As a result, they were kept in a small silver box, waiting them to rot; moment in which they could be finally threw out.
Notwithstanding, they did not rot at all, and after test them in different ways, the miracle of their incorruptibility was proclaimed in 1619. Since that moment, its popular worship was spread, with the total approval of ecclesiastical authorities who proclaimed all sorts of papal indulgences and established their own feast, set up the fifth Sunday after Resurrection, in the middle of May.
The Santas Formas worship reached such a magnitude since the miracle was known that when wafers were kept into the Jesuit church—into the newly-made chapel—, a great procession was celebrated. The King Philip III and his wife the Queen Margaret of Austria—along with every civil and religious authorities of Alcalá—attended to the procession, winding solemnly its way through the city streets, adorned with hanging tapestries celebrating that occasion.
In 1777, the Santas Formas were moved to the Magisterial Cathedral and the faithful showed up in such quantity that their assistance had to be controlled. Also numerous monarchs went to worship, such as Charles II, Charles III (in 1759), Joseph Bonaparte (who in 1810 was claimed to have donated a ring set on top of the cross where Santas Formas were kept), Ferdinand VII (in 1816), Alfonso XII and the Queen Maria Christina (in 1880).
With the fire of the Magisterial Cathedral in 1936, the Santas Formas and its custody disappeared. After the war, the celebration of the miracle ceased, even though it was the most important and popular festivity of Alcalá, even more than Saints Children, Virgin of the Val, or the festivities of the end of August.
[gdl_gallery title=”iglesia-de-santa-maria-la-mayor” width=”120″ height=”95″]
Este texto también está disponible en español
Next to the Jesuit institution Colegio Máximo and as part of it, the Santa María la Mayor Church—with the Alcalá’s most monumental façade after that of the University—is placed.
Into the building of Santa María la Mayor Church, the façade and chapels stands out. Among these chapels, the renovated chapel of Santas Formas is dedicated to the miracle of the incorruptible collection of consecrated wafers.
Its construction started at 1567, but after three years, the works were stopped due to economic problems that were solved thanks to María and Catalina de Mendoza donations. Bartolomé de Bustamante’s father designed the building, and its construction was leaded by the architects Francisco de Mora and his nephew Juan Gómez de Mora, who finished it in 1620 and its façade five years after.
The style of the Santa María la Mayor Church followed the strict and new architectonic concepts dictated by the Council of Trent, where the old and new were merged conferring great importance to the faithful meeting place—which symmetrical shape and good acoustics.
The prime example of Society of Jesus temples was the Church of the Gesù in Rome, and the typical model of that style in Spain, within seventeenth and eighteenth century, is precisely the Jesuit church in Alcalá. Currently, the Jesuit church has been replaced by the Santa María la Mayor Church—which, until a fire in 1936, was situated at Plaza de Cervantes.
The Santa María la Mayor Church impressive façade comprises giant double columns with several relevant images. While in the upper part Saint Ignatius of Loyola and Saint Francis Xavier are represented, in the lower part images of Saint Peter and Saint Paul are sculpted, all of them by the Portuguese Manuel Pereira. Over the arch pediments, the two Mendoza’s coats of arms can be appreciated.
A feeling of greatness is breathed in the inside of Santa María la Mayor Church transmitted through its dimensions—both main floor and side chapels—and the height of the dome. The main altarpiece and its splendid monstrance attract attention and show the transition style to Herrerian Baroque.
The entrance to Santas Formas chapel is placed inside Santa María la Mayor Church. The chapel put up in 1718 and restored in 2011, was named commemorating the miracle of the twenty-four consecrated wafers that never rot and whose history—full of ups and downs—, took place at the end of sixteenth century (read more). Important mural paintings of Juan Vicente de la Ribera, dating back from 1699, are kept.
The miracle happened on May 1st, 1597, when a Moorish stole twenty-six figures from a church and, regretting it, confessed his sins to the Jesuit father Juan Juárez—in the church placed where after the actual Jesuitas or Santa María la Mayor Church would be constructed.
The wafers were not used in any mass for fear of them being poisoned—which had already happened before—but they were not destroyed because, as they were already consecrated, it might has been considered disrespectful. As a result, they were kept in a small silver box, waiting them to rot; moment in which they could be finally threw out.
Notwithstanding, they did not rot at all, and after test them in different ways, the miracle of their incorruptibility was proclaimed in 1619. Since that moment, its popular worship was spread, with the total approval of ecclesiastical authorities who proclaimed all sorts of papal indulgences and established their own feast, set up the fifth Sunday after Resurrection, in the middle of May.
The Santas Formas worship reached such a magnitude since the miracle was known that when wafers were kept into the Jesuit church—into the newly-made chapel—, a great procession was celebrated. The King Philip III and his wife the Queen Margaret of Austria—along with every civil and religious authorities of Alcalá—attended to the procession, winding solemnly its way through the city streets, adorned with hanging tapestries celebrating that occasion.
In 1777, the Santas Formas were moved to the Magisterial Cathedral and the faithful showed up in such quantity that their assistance had to be controlled. Also numerous monarchs went to worship, such as Charles II, Charles III (in 1759), Joseph Bonaparte (who in 1810 was claimed to have donated a ring set on top of the cross where Santas Formas were kept), Ferdinand VII (in 1816), Alfonso XII and the Queen Maria Christina (in 1880).
With the fire of the Magisterial Cathedral in 1936, the Santas Formas and its custody disappeared. After the war, the celebration of the miracle ceased, even though it was the most important and popular festivity of Alcalá, even more than Saints Children, Virgin of the Val, or the festivities of the end of August.
En el Mercado medieval de Alcalá de Henares (Mercado del Cervantes o Mercado del Quijote), todo el casco histórico se convierte en un escenario vivo que nos transporta al siglo XVII. Allí podrás disfrutar de puestos callejeros, vendedores, artesanos, figurantes, cantantes e incluso vecinos ataviados a la manera de la época.
Es el más grande de España y de Europa, con cerca de 300.000 visitantes. Desde el año 2000 Alcalá celebra el Mercado medieval (o Gran Mercado del Quijote) en la semana que conmemora el bautismo de Miguel de Cervantes (9 de octubre de 1547) y dentro del marco de la Semana Cervantina, en la que se desarrollan actividades de diversa índole.
La edición 2015 del Mercado Cervantino arrancará el jueves 8 de octubre, en vísperas de la fiesta local del 9 de octubre por el aniversario del bautismo de Miguel de Cervantes; y concluirá el lunes 12, fiesta nacional por la Virgen del Pilar.
Si realmente añoras el Mercado Medieval, quizás quieras recordar todo lo que dio de sí el del año pasado en nuestro Especial Mercado Medieval 2104 de Alcalá de Henares.
El Mercado medieval recibe su nombre debido a la popularización en toda España de ese nombre para este tipo de mercados históricos (cabe destacar, además del alcalaíno, los de Puebla de Sanabria y de San Froilán, en León), pero en el caso de Alcalá las vestimentas y decoración son siempre de los siglos XVI-XVII, época en la nació y vivió Miguel de Cervantes.
El Mercado medieval de Alcalá es el mayor de España y de Europa, pues ocupa todo el casco histórico, desde la plaza de San Diego, donde se ubica la universidad, hasta la plaza de Palacio, donde está el Palacio Arzobispal, al lado de la plaza de los Santos Niños.
En los últimos años ha recibido alrededor de los trescientos mil visitantes. Se pueden encontrar alimentos elaborados de forma artesanal, como empanadas, miel y licores, como así también aperos, flores secas, muñecas de trapo, objetos esotéricos y una gran variedad de objetos elaborados artesanalmente, en muchos casos a la vista de los visitantes.
Hasta los mismos centros de información se adaptan al ambiente medieval, ya que todo el personal involucrado en la organización del evento, se viste con ropa de la época. Todos los puestos y quienes los atienden, ya sean comerciantes, artesanos o ayudantes, van vestidos con ropajes de la época de Cervantes.
Los puestos se decoran de manera exhaustiva a la manera de la época, y el Ayuntamiento exige detalles estrictos para que esto se cumpla, como la prohibición de llevar relojes o joyas, o de usar el móvil a la vista de la gente. Esto evita lo de aquella famosa anécdota de los spaguetti western, en los que se veía a feroces apaches con relojes brillando en las muñecas, lo que rompía el efecto escénico. Por eso, tampoco encontrarás en el Mercado medieval de Alcalá ningún sitio donde te entreguen lo que compres en una bolsa de plástico, ni verás a la vista nada hecho con este material. Igualmente, los puestos se cubren y decoran con telas, pieles e incluso ramas y vegetación, lográndose un efecto muy conseguido de época. Todos los detalles se cuidan al máximo, como se ve en que no se usan balanzas actuales, sino las llamadas balanzas romanas, de hierro y pesas.
Si te ha interesado esta información, suscríbete a Dream! Alcalá y recibe en tu correo electrónico nuestras últimas noticias:
Son calles y calles, y plazas y rincones donde se instalan los más de trescientos puestos. Encontrarás productos alimenticios tradicionales, como miel, empanadas, pan hecho allí mismo en un horno portátil -podrás ver al tahonero preparando la masa delante del público-, dulces y bizcochos, licores, chacinas y embutidos típicos, de flores secas, perfumes, hierbas medicinales, objetos esotéricos…
En el Mercado medieval de Alcalá podrás ver cómo se fabrican piezas en madera, en barro o en piedra, cestos y joyas de plata, producto de los oficios tradicionales, y ver a muchos de estos artesanos realizando su trabajo ante los viandantes. Igualmente, en cualquier calle, en cualquier rincón encontrarás pequeños espectáculos de calle, bien sean representaciones teatrales cortas, encantadores de serpientes o cetreros con un halcón o un búho en el puño enguantado -aunque el ave está domesticada hasta el punto de que la gente se hace fotos con ella, incluso los niños, que se lo pasan realmente en grande con todas estas actividades-.
En el Mercado medieval de Alcalá, en cualquier momento te encontrarás por las calles, muchas de ellas cubiertas de paja al estilo medieval, a grupos de músicos con instrumentos antiguos tocando música alegre a los que siguen grupos de gente que los animan, o a los mismísimos Don Quijote y Sancho Panza, a caballo y burro, o a pie, a los que podrás saludar en plena calle Mayor, igual que verás a niños paseando en burro, guiado por un mozo, por la plaza de Cervantes o aledaños.
Un ejemplo de los objetos que sólo se pueden encontrar aquí, a menos que se busquen con mucho esfuerzo en tiendas especializadas, es una réplica en miniatura del ajedrez de la isla de Lewis. Se trata del primer ajedrez que incluye la figura de la reina como tal, siendo una representación femenina que data del siglo XII.
El mercado cervantino se enmarca en la Semana Cervantina, llena de actos para conmemorar el bautismo de Cervantes en Alcalá. Se hace una lectura pública de El Quijote, y un desfile cívico del Ayuntamiento a la Capilla del Oidor con la partida de bautismo del escritor. Y entre otras muchas actividades, tienen lugar las Jornadas Gastronómicas, donde más de una docena de restaurantes ofrecen menús cervantinos, inspirados en la época del Siglo de Oro pero con un toque contemporáneo, y la Feria del Libro Antiguo y de Ocasión, que se asienta en la plaza de los Santos Niños.
[gdl_gallery title=”mercado-de-cervantes-2013″ width=”125″ height=”100″] Descubre más imágenes del Mercado Medieval en Google.
The Mediaeval Market or Great Don Quixote’s Market is one of the main cultural and gastronomic events of Alcalá de Henares and the biggest market of Europe.
The Mediaeval Market of Alcalá de Henares (or Don Quixote’s Market ) turns the complete historical city center into an alive scenery that transfers us back to the seventeenth century. In there you can admire street stalls, vendors, artisans, walk-on extras, singers and even neighbors dress up in that period way. It is the biggest market of Spain and Europe, with almost 300,000 visitors.
The Mediaeval Market of Alcalá de Henares (or Don Quixote’s Market) is celebrated since 2000 within the framework of Cervantes’ Week —in which activities from diverse nature are developed— with a view to commemorate Miguel de Cervantes’s baptism (October 9th, 1547).
This kind of historical markets became popular all over Spain and give the name of Mediaeval Market not only to Alcalá’s one, but also to other relevant fairs such as Puebla de Sanabria and San Froilán, in León. Notwithstanding, in the case of Alcalá, clothing and decoration always date back from sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, period in which Miguel de Cervantes was born and lived.
Alcalá’s Mediaeval Market is the biggest of both Spain and Europe, considering that the complete historical city center is occupied by the fair—from plaza de San Diego, where the university is placed, to plaza de Palacio, where the Archbishop’s Palace is located, next to plaza de los Santos Niños. Over the last years, the market welcomed more than three hundred thousand visitors.
Homemade food such as meat pies, honey or liquors can be found, as well as handicraft trappings, dried flowers, rag dolls, esoteric objects and a great variety of craft objects, in many occasion in sight of visitors.
Even information centers get involved into the mediaeval environment, as all staff involved in the event organization get dressed with period clothing.
Every stall and its vendors, any trader, artisan or assistant are dressed up with clothing from Cervantes period. The stalls are exhaustively decorated in the period way, and the City Council demands a strict attention to details so as to create such environment: the prohibition of carrying watches or jewelry, or using the mobile phone in view of visitors. Doing this, the famous story in which a scene of spaghetti westernwhere fierce Apaches carried watches shining in their wrists ruined the stage performance could be avoided.
That is why you will not find in any stall within Alcalá’s Mediaeval Market anyone who gives you whatever you buy inside a plastic bag; neither will you see anything in the market made with that material. Likewise, the stalls are covered and decorated with fabrics, furs and even branches and vegetation, achieving a very well-made mediaeval environment. Every detail is carefully selected, as it can be observed by the use of Roman scales—made of iron and weights—instead of the current electronic ones.
There are streets after streets, and squares and corners, where more than three hundred stalls are set up. You will find traditional food products, such as honey, pies, bread newly-made in a portable oven—public can see how the baker prepares the dough—sweets and lady fingers, liquors, typical cold cuts, dried flowers, perfumes, medicinal plants, esoteric objects…
Wood, mud and stone pieces are made at Alcalá’s Mediaeval Market, as well as hampers and silver jewels, traditional trader’s objects. Many of those artisans do their jobs in front of passers-by; likely, in any street or any corner, visitors meet smalls street exhibitions, either short theatre performances, snake charmers or falconers with his gloves—covering his fist and wrist—holding falcons or owls—though birds are domesticated up to the point that people can take photographs with them, even children, who have a really good time with all these activities.
Into the Alcalá’s Mediaeval Market, you may find at any time along the street—many of them covered with straw with the period style—groups of musician with old instruments playing cheerful music and followed by groups of people enliven the march—even the very same Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, riding a horse or a donkey, who you may greet in the middle of calle Mayor, just like you will see children riding donkeys, guided by a groom, by plaza de Cervantes or its outskirts.
A replica of the Lewis chessmen in miniature is an example of the objects that only can be found in that market—unless you look effortlessly for it in specialist shop. It is the first chess that includes the figure of the queen as such, being a feminine representation dating back from twelfth century.
The Cervantes’ Market is part of the Cervantes’ Week, full of acts for commemorating Cervantes’ baptism in Alcalá such as a public reading of Don Quixote and a municipal parade from the City Council to the Oidor Chapel with the writer’s baptismal certificate.
Among many others activities, the Gastronomical Days, where more than a dozen restaurants offer Cervantes’ menus—inspired in the Golden Age period with a contemporary touch—; and the Old and Secondhand Book Fair, set up at plaza de los Santos Niños.
[gdl_gallery title=”mercado-medieval” width=”125″ height=”100″]
[gdl_gallery title=”mercado-de-cervantes-2013″ width=”125″ height=”100″]
Discover more images of the Mediaeval Market in Google.
Oidor Chapel is the place that holds the font in which Miguel de Cervantes was baptized in the Catholic Faith, on October 9, 1547. The original baptismal certificate that gives evidence is still preserved and showed every year in his baptism date.
The Oidor Chapel holds, beside the font, the interpretation center “Los Universos de Cervantes”. The center is fully devoted to the writer’s figure and offers endless expositions about the world created by him. The building comprises the Antezana and Cristo de la Luz chapels, as well as the Oidor Chapel.
The Oidor Chapel is the oldest remaining of former Santa María La Mayor church (see picture)—situated today at calle Libreros. This church, that underwent numerous changes, was initially laid down upon a thirteenth century shrine called San Juan de Letrán or de los Caballeros, one of the oldest of Alcalá, where city nobility used to be buried.
The chapel was named upon don Pedro Díaz de Toledo—Oidor or Judge of the King John II of Castile—who decided to build up the property in the beginning of the fifteenth century in order to hold in it, as a pantheon, his remains and those of his family. The Oidor was a judge who heard both parts of a dispute in behalf of the king and, as the time went by, he turned to play not just a juridical role but also a high relevant political actor.
In 1453, the archbishop Carrillo promoted the foundation of Santa María de Jesús Convent. For that purpose, he chose the emplacement of Santa María la Mayor church and so, the building was moved where San Juan shrine and the Oidor Chapel were constructed, merging the buildings and forming a compound of three naves with semicircular apses and a tower.
A century after, the enclosure was renovated by the architect of the university façade, Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón, with the intention of building a big temple; at the end, though, only two sections of the nave were constructed.
Later, in the seventeenth century, the Cristo de la Luz chapel, the tower and the sacristy compounded the whole at the back.
After several restorations, at the beginning of the Civil War, the church was set fire and bombed, so it was mostly destroyed. Its remains were used to reconstruct other buildings, and just the chapels and the isolated tower remained, available to be visited.
Recently, in 1982, a complete restoration was undertaken and the whole turned into the most important exposition hall in the city. The interpretation center “Los universos de Cervantes” was created in 2005, the year of the fourth century of Don Quixote’s publication. The center holds expositions about the author, both temporary and permanent, and as time passed, several expansions have been provided, resulting in more space within the building.
A magnificent sixteenth century grille and an arch decorated with Mudéjar plasterwork—an authentic historical jewel—lead the way into the Oidor Chapel. Inside the building, the font in which Miguel de Cervantes was baptized is showed. This is not the genuine font but a reconstruction from several original fragments recovered, and if you look carefully when turning around the font, you can notice the original pieces.
Another curiosity concerning the several reconstruction undertaken in the Oidor Chapel: the original place of the font was the base of Santa María tower, situated outside the chapel and that it is possible to visit. The font was moved to its actual emplacement in the 1905 restoration undertaken due to the third centenary of Don Quixote.
It is also possible to contemplate a facsimile from the Miguel de Cervantes baptism certificate, whose original document is hold in the City Council. It is also possible to see the original each 9th of October, anniversary of Cervantes baptism.
Reproductions of Cervantes’ siblings baptism certificates are still hold in the Oidor Chapel as well as several objects and documents given by individuals collectors of the city, such as a Don Quixote manuscript performed by Alcalá’s school students on the occasion of the novel’s fourth centenary in 2005.
Virtual visit to the Oidor Chapel and panoramic visits to Alcalá from Santa María la Mayor tower.
[gdl_gallery title=”capilla-del-oidor” width=”120″ height=”95″]
Walking around the Plaza de Cervantes
Este texto también está disponible en español
Oidor Chapel is the place that holds the font in which Miguel de Cervantes was baptized in the Catholic Faith, on October 9, 1547. The original baptismal certificate that gives evidence is still preserved and showed every year in his baptism date.
The Oidor Chapel holds, beside the font, the interpretation center “Los Universos de Cervantes”. The center is fully devoted to the writer’s figure and offers endless expositions about the world created by him. The building comprises the Antezana and Cristo de la Luz chapels, as well as the Oidor Chapel.
The Oidor Chapel is the oldest remaining of former Santa María La Mayor church (see picture)—situated today at calle Libreros. This church, that underwent numerous changes, was initially laid down upon a thirteenth century shrine called San Juan de Letrán or de los Caballeros, one of the oldest of Alcalá, where city nobility used to be buried.
The chapel was named upon don Pedro Díaz de Toledo—Oidor or Judge of the King John II of Castile—who decided to build up the property in the beginning of the fifteenth century in order to hold in it, as a pantheon, his remains and those of his family. The Oidor was a judge who heard both parts of a dispute in behalf of the king and, as the time went by, he turned to play not just a juridical role but also a high relevant political actor.
In 1453, the archbishop Carrillo promoted the foundation of Santa María de Jesús Convent. For that purpose, he chose the emplacement of Santa María la Mayor church and so, the building was moved where San Juan shrine and the Oidor Chapel were constructed, merging the buildings and forming a compound of three naves with semicircular apses and a tower.
A century after, the enclosure was renovated by the architect of the university façade, Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón, with the intention of building a big temple; at the end, though, only two sections of the nave were constructed.
Later, in the seventeenth century, the Cristo de la Luz chapel, the tower and the sacristy compounded the whole at the back.
After several restorations, at the beginning of the Civil War, the church was set fire and bombed, so it was mostly destroyed. Its remains were used to reconstruct other buildings, and just the chapels and the isolated tower remained, available to be visited.
Recently, in 1982, a complete restoration was undertaken and the whole turned into the most important exposition hall in the city. The interpretation center “Los universos de Cervantes” was created in 2005, the year of the fourth century of Don Quixote’s publication. The center holds expositions about the author, both temporary and permanent, and as time passed, several expansions have been provided, resulting in more space within the building.
A magnificent sixteenth century grille and an arch decorated with Mudéjar plasterwork—an authentic historical jewel—lead the way into the Oidor Chapel. Inside the building, the font in which Miguel de Cervantes was baptized is showed. This is not the genuine font but a reconstruction from several original fragments recovered, and if you look carefully when turning around the font, you can notice the original pieces.
Another curiosity concerning the several reconstruction undertaken in the Oidor Chapel: the original place of the font was the base of Santa María tower, situated outside the chapel and that it is possible to visit. The font was moved to its actual emplacement in the 1905 restoration undertaken due to the third centenary of Don Quixote.
It is also possible to contemplate a facsimile from the Miguel de Cervantes baptism certificate, whose original document is hold in the City Council. It is also possible to see the original each 9th of October, anniversary of Cervantes baptism.
Reproductions of Cervantes’ siblings baptism certificates are still hold in the Oidor Chapel as well as several objects and documents given by individuals collectors of the city, such as a Don Quixote manuscript performed by Alcalá’s school students on the occasion of the novel’s fourth centenary in 2005.
Virtual visit to the Oidor Chapel and panoramic visits to Alcalá from Santa María la Mayor tower.
Walking around the Plaza de Cervantes
Casa de la Entrevista—old church of San Juan de la Penitencia Convent and today exposition hall and library—commemorates the first interview between Isabella I the Catholic and Christopher Columbus, the germ of America’s discovering.
The buildings of the present Casa de la Entrevista and the neighbor primary school “Cardinal Cisneros”, in the same road, were in the old times an only great Mudéjar house in which, in 1508, Cardinal Cisneros found the San Juan de la Penitencia Convent to Franciscan nuns, maids school and woman hospital. The convent had eleven gardens, some of them, small and secluded, might be seen in the Casa de la Entrevista its own.
The convent was the first Cardinal Cisneros ordered to open and it was one of its favorites, as it proves the fact that he left important personal effects to the institution once he died (such as his ebony scepter) to the nuns who lived there. They even named themselves “Saint Claire’s nuns of Cisneros”.
As the time went by, the building started to deteriorate until nuns, known as “the Juanas”, had to left and moved to their current place at calle Santiago in 1884. The architectural collapse had as a consequence the loss of some precious sixteenth century frescos and a considerable part of the building, just the convent church and the cloister remaining. The former is today the Casa de la Entrevista and the latter, a garden into the adjacent primary school.
The building was disused until that, thanks to the old Instituto de Cultura Hispánica—current Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation—was restored in 1968 and allocated as artistic exposition hall and Latin American library, depending on the City Council.
Nowadays, painting and sculpture exhibitions are constant, besides concerts and some other cultural activities available to visit in Casa de la Entrevista. In addition, every year in Christmas period, a wonderful chrèche or Nativity representation (the story of Jesus birth into the stable at Bethlehem in a small scale performance with realistic figures, buildings and landscapes) carried out by some local artisans.
The library owes its specialization in history and related disciplines with Latin American to its name, Casa de la Entrevista. The interview naming the house is the one that took place between Isabella I of Castilian, Catholic Monarch, and Christopher Columbus. It was the first meeting of a row and set the seed of what it would turn into the discovering and meeting with the continent now known as America.
The interview, celebrated close to the Archbishop’s Palace, at the back of calle San Juan, the 20th of January of 1486, took place where Casa de la Entrevista is situated today. Thus, this building received its name to commemorate so relevant event. On the façade, it is worthy to stand out the Cardinal checkered coat of arms and the doors’ iron fittings in which, besides Cisneros’ coat of arms, other coats with Columbus motifs can also be contemplated.
Next to Casa de la Entrevista, the public primary school “Cardinal Cisneros” is situated, whose garden was the old cloister of San Juan de la Penitencia convent. The garden has been recently restored and, as a result, there is square shape, middle size backyard, with two heights. The superior floor has lumbers Renaissance style in their low part, four of which hold the Cisneros’ coat of arms.
When:
:50 pm Alcalá railway Station
Ticket Prices:
[gdl_gallery title=”casa-de-la-entrevista” width=”120″ height=”95″]
Belén monumental en la Casa de la Entrevista
Casa de la Entrevista—old church of San Juan de la Penitencia Convent and today exposition hall and library—commemorates the first interview between Isabella I the Catholic and Christopher Columbus, the germ of America’s discovering.
The buildings of the present Casa de la Entrevista and the neighbor primary school “Cardinal Cisneros”, in the same road, were in the old times an only great Mudéjar house in which, in 1508, Cardinal Cisneros found the San Juan de la Penitencia Convent to Franciscan nuns, maids school and woman hospital. The convent had eleven gardens, some of them, small and secluded, might be seen in the Casa de la Entrevista its own.
The convent was the first Cardinal Cisneros ordered to open and it was one of its favorites, as it proves the fact that he left important personal effects to the institution once he died (such as his ebony scepter) to the nuns who lived there. They even named themselves “Saint Claire’s nuns of Cisneros”.
As the time went by, the building started to deteriorate until nuns, known as “the Juanas”, had to left and moved to their current place at calle Santiago in 1884. The architectural collapse had as a consequence the loss of some precious sixteenth century frescos and a considerable part of the building, just the convent church and the cloister remaining. The former is today the Casa de la Entrevista and the latter, a garden into the adjacent primary school.
The building was disused until that, thanks to the old Instituto de Cultura Hispánica—current Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation—was restored in 1968 and allocated as artistic exposition hall and Latin American library, depending on the City Council.
Nowadays, painting and sculpture exhibitions are constant, besides concerts and some other cultural activities available to visit in Casa de la Entrevista. In addition, every year in Christmas period, a wonderful chrèche or Nativity representation (the story of Jesus birth into the stable at Bethlehem in a small scale performance with realistic figures, buildings and landscapes) carried out by some local artisans.
The library owes its specialization in history and related disciplines with Latin American to its name, Casa de la Entrevista. The interview naming the house is the one that took place between Isabella I of Castilian, Catholic Monarch, and Christopher Columbus. It was the first meeting of a row and set the seed of what it would turn into the discovering and meeting with the continent now known as America.
The interview, celebrated close to the Archbishop’s Palace, at the back of calle San Juan, the 20th of January of 1486, took place where Casa de la Entrevista is situated today. Thus, this building received its name to commemorate so relevant event. On the façade, it is worthy to stand out the Cardinal checkered coat of arms and the doors’ iron fittings in which, besides Cisneros’ coat of arms, other coats with Columbus motifs can also be contemplated.
Next to Casa de la Entrevista, the public primary school “Cardinal Cisneros” is situated, whose garden was the old cloister of San Juan de la Penitencia convent. The garden has been recently restored and, as a result, there is square shape, middle size backyard, with two heights. The superior floor has lumbers Renaissance style in their low part, four of which hold the Cisneros’ coat of arms.
When:
:50 pm Alcalá railway Station
Ticket Prices:
Belén monumental en la Casa de la Entrevista
Saints Children Justo and Pastor are Patrons of Alcalá de Henares. They were martyred in the early fourth century, under the persecution of Diocletian and Maximin.
These two children or teenager were cut the throat of by Order of the Diocletian emperor, due to their refusal of resigning their faith in Campo Laudable, in the year 305 (fourth century after Christ). Afterwards, the field held the construction of an old church that subsequently gave way to the Magisterial Cathedral that was built upon its remains. The stones where the children were tortured are kept into a Cathedral crypt.
One of the emperors’ chief persecutors of Christians in the early years of the 4th century was a man named Diocletian, who journeyed through Spain in a frenzy of violence and terror. In 304, he reached Alcalá, and proclaimed that all Christians, on pain of death, renounce their faith. Two schoolboys, Justus (age 13) and Pastor (less than 9), heard of this and determined to show that their own Christian faith was as strong as that of any of their elders by publicly reciting their catechism.
Diocletian thought it simple to cow schoolboys. He ordered that they both be savagely flogged. But although the sentence was viciously enacted, neither flinched. Instead the two boys shouted words of encouragement to each other, which only whipped their tormentors to further fury.
Diocletian was shamed by their bravery. He still wished to have them killed, but the sentence was carried out secretly. They were beheaded outside Alcalá, when no one was about, but some fellow-Christians found their bodies and buried them where they had died.
Today Saints Children Justo and Pastor are considered among the patron saints of Alcalá and Madrid. Saint Prudentius called them among the most glorious martyrs of Spain. Their alleged bodies were discovered in the 8th century and taken to Huesca. In 1568, they were brought back to Alcalá, where they lie under the high altar of the Magisterial Cathedral.
His feast is celebrated on August 6.
The following video documentary gives you the opportunity to assist the reconstruction of the events over 1700 years ago in the city of Roman Spain “Complutum”, now Alcalá de Henares .
La Universidad de Alcalá (UAH), considerada una de las más antiguas de Europa, tiene su origen en el Estudio General creado el 20 de Mayo de 1293. En el año 1499, el Cardenal Cisneros dio un nuevo impulso a estos estudios con la creación de un Colegio Mayor y la Universidad de Alcalá pasó a ser uno de los primeros ejemplos de ciudad universitaria. Fue declarada Patrimonio de la Humanidad en 1998.
Con una clara vocación internacional, la UAH es una de las universidades públicas más prestigiosas de España. Conocida por su actuación en la defensa y fortalecimiento de la lengua y la cultura española, en su Paraninfo se entrega todos los años el Premio Cervantes, considerado el galardón más prestigioso de las letras españolas.
Integrada en la ciudad de Alcalá de Henares, la Universidad de Alcalá está situada a 30 kilómetros de Madrid y a 20 kilómetros del aeropuerto de Madrid-Barajas.
La Universidad de Alcalá apuesta por la investigación como motor de la innovación y del cambio.
investiga.universidaddealcala.es
Presentación de la UAH
The University of Alcalá (UAH), justly considered one of Europe’s oldest, may trace its origins to
the “General Study” (Estudium generale) created on 20 May 1293. In 1499, Cardinal Cisneros gave
a new impulse to that institution by founding a “Greater” College (Colegio Mayor), from which
point the University of Alcalá became one of the world’s first university cities. It was declared
Patrimony of Mankind in 1998.
With a clear international vocation, the UAH is one of the most prestigious public universities in
Spain. The UAH is widely recognised for its role in defending and strengthening Spanish language
and culture, and the Cervantes Prize, considered the most prestigious prize in Spanish literature,
is awarded annually in its auditorium.
Forming an integral part of the city of Alcalá de Henares, University of Alcalá is located 30
kilometres from Madrid and 20 kilometres from the Madrid-Barajas airport.
The University of Alcalá is committed to research as the driving force behind innovation and
change.
