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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Este texto también está disponible en español
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.
La Casa natal de Cervantes donde nació el genial novelista, poeta y dramaturgo español Miguel de Cervantes, es ahora un museo donde se puede ver en primera persona como era la vida en la época del autor de El Quijote, más de 200 ediciones de El Quijote y exposiciones y conferencias cervantinas.
(Este texto es la continuación de Casa natal de Cervantes, Parte I) La Casa natal de Cervantes se construyó en 1956, pero con el paso de los años y el aumento constante de visitantes, que en 2005 superaron los 200.000 en todo ese año, y con una media actual de unos 150.000, se acometieron, por parte de la Comunidad de Madrid, reformas y mejoras entre 1997 y el año 2003, las cuales fundamentalmente consistieron en la anexión de la finca colindante, de dos plantas, lo que añadió a la Casa-Museo más de doscientos metros cuadrados más, que permiten ofrecer en la actualidad todo tipo de exposiciones y conferencias.
Con estas mejoras, la Casa de Cervantes ahora no sólo es el lugar donde pasó el escritor sus primeros cuatro años de vida, antes de trasladarse con el resto de la familia a Valladolid, sino un museo con exposiciones de gran calidad y una magnífica colección de más de 200 ediciones de El Quijote en todos los idiomas, editadas entre los siglos XVII y XXI, así como ediciones diversas del resto de obras del insigne autor y gran número de bibliografías sobre la figura de Cervantes, su vida y sus trabajos literarios.
En la primera planta o superior de la Casa de Cervantes se encuentra la parte más íntima de la vida familiar de Cervantes y sus coetáneos, como son los dormitorios o el lugar del aseo -cuando no existía el agua corriente-. Pero también, como museo y centro de estudios cervantinos que es, también podrás visitar las dos salas de ediciones cervantinas y una curiosa representación con figuras y títeres del famoso pasaje de maese Pedro, en El Quijote.
Es el aposento del cabeza de familia, generalmente el padre, donde además de la cama con dosel y un gran cabecero profusamente decorado, baúles y arcas donde guardar la ropa, se encuentra un bargueño o escritorio, el mueble sobre la mesa lleno de pequeñas puertas y cajones, a veces con tapas abatibles, y todos ellos con su llave correspondiente, incluyendo alguno secreto para esconder algún documento importante, como el contrato de compra de la casa u otros similares.
Al lado encontrarás las habitaciones que usaban las mujeres de la casa, la dama y gobernante de la casa, las dueñas ancianas y los infantes o niños de tierna edad. En este preciso orden se estructuraba la jerarquía interna de la familia, bajo el padre y esposo. Por debajo de damas y dueñas se situaban las criadas, cuando las había.
La primera sala o estrado del cariño era la destinada a la señora de la casa, donde recibía a su marido y tenía a su recién nacido, donde doña Leonor de Cortinas cuidaría de su pequeño Miguel.
La sala de aseo o tocador siempre es un lugar muy comentado por los visitantes, dado que muestra los pormenores de la vida más cotidiana e íntima, las costumbres higiénicas de una época en la que la práctica del baño no era en absoluto habitual en casas donde el agua procedía del pozo, no había tuberías ni saneamientos. Cuando se producía, era típico encontrar que la bañera se cubría con una tela, sobre todo para no mancharse el cuerpo con la pez con la que se había barnizado el interior de la cubeta para impermeabilizarla.
La higiene se practicaba fundamentalmente con el uso del aguamanil (antecesor del lavabo) y de perfumes, ungüentos y friegas y el cambio de la ropa interior, signo de limpieza. En esta sala se puede ver un bacín y un sillón con su correspondiente agujero, muy ilustrativo de la época, original, como todo en la casa, de los siglos XVI ó XVI.
En esta habitación es donde dormían los hermanos del escritor, más mayores, que solían estar en la casa hasta los seis años, si comenzaban su educación, fundamentalmente los hombres, en un tiempo en que la alfabetización era muy escasa, y mayor entre las mujeres.
Con los niños estaban las dueñas. Como la religión era algo muy presente, en esta alcoba se puede ver un busto, del siglo XVII, de uno de los Santos Niños, Justo y Pastor, patrones de Alcalá.
Al fondo de la casa, y desde la misma galería que rodea el patio, en la planta superior, se encuentran las dos salas de ediciones cervantinas, en las que podrás encontrar una magnífica colección de ediciones de obras de Miguel de Cervantes en una gran cantidad de idiomas y publicadas en varios siglos, lo que la hace muy valiosa.
En la primera sala se muestran las ediciones en español y en las lenguas autonómicas. Por ejemplo, la primera edición española ilustrada de El Quijote (Madrid, 1674), la primera edición española publicada en Inglaterra (Londres, 1738) o por la Real Academia Española (Madrid, 1780).
En la segunda sala se encuentran las ediciones de El Quijote en otros idiomas, como la primera edición en inglés de la Segunda Parte (Londres, 1620), la primera edición danesa (Copenhague, 1776-77), y así hasta un total de más de 200 ediciones distintas. Muchas de ellas son las que ilustraron grandes artistas como Coypel, Vanderbank, Doré, Dalí…
Aquí, además, se puede ver una exposición de fotografías a gran tamaño de algunas de las portadas y estampas grabadas de estas ediciones, lo que hace todavía más amena la visita a esta sala. Gracias a la ampliación de la casa museo con la compra de la casa adyacente, estas salas se ofrecen con comodidad y amplitud a los visitantes, al igual que en la planta baja está la sala de conferencias, donde además se presentan libros, se realizan talleres pedagógicos y un sinfín de actividades culturales.
El museo está siendo dotado de medios para facilitar accesibilidad, entre otros a las personas ciegas o con deficiencias visuales gracias a un convenio de colaboración entre la ONCE y la Comunidad de Madrid.
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The house where the great Spanish novelist, poet and playwright Miguel de Cervantes was born has been turned into a museum. There, you can see how people’s day-to-day life was at the time in which Don Quixote’s author lived. There are also more than 200 different editions of the worldwide famous novel, as well as exhibitions and conferences around Cervantes.
(This text comes from Cervantes Birthplace Museum, part 1) The Cervantes Birthplace Museum was built in 1956 and, over the years, the amount of visitors increased up to a total of 200.000 in the year 2005—with an annual average of 150.000 visitors. Thus, the Community of Madrid decided to undertake a number refurbishments and alterations between years 1997 and 2003. This works mainly consisted on the annexation of the two-stories neighboring land, which enabled the addition of over 200 square meters to the Cervantes Birthplace Museum; thanks to what it is possible to hold all kind of in-site exhibitions and conferences.
After those improvements, the Cervantes’ house is not just the place where the writer spent his first four years of life before moving to Valladolid with his family, but also a museum holding great quality expositions. The museum gathers too, an astonishing collection of more than 200 editions of The Quixote, translated into most of the world’s languages, and printed between the seventeenth and the twenty-first centuries. In addition, different editions of Cervantes’ complete works and a big number of bibliographies about his the figure, life and literary works are showed.
The private spheres of Cervantes’ family life took place in the upper or first floor where bedrooms and bathrooms were placed—not existing at that time facilities equipped with running water. Besides, as a museum and a Cervantes research center, the site offers the possibility of visiting the two halls where different editions of Cervantes’s works are showed, and a curious performance with figures and puppets, depicting characters from Quixote’s famous passage “maese Pedro”.
This was the head-of-the-household room, generally the father, where—in addition to the canopy bed, a great bedhead profusely decorated and trunks used to accommodate the clothes—a desk or bargueño: a piece of furniture over a table, with flip tops, full of small doors and drawers with their correspondent keys and some secret departments—used to hide some important documents, such as the title deed or similar.
Next to the Gentlemen’s rooms you can find the chambers intended for ladies, housekeepers and children. That was precisely the order in which the intern family hierarchy was structured, under the command of the father and husband. When there were maids’ servants living in the house, they were at the lowest level in the hierarchy, right below maids and housewives.
The first hall, or affection platform, was intended for the lady. There, she welcomed her husband and gave birth to her newborns. It is also the place where lady Leonor de Cortinas would take care of her baby Miguel.
The bathroom, or powder room, , is a place that mirrors the details of the most private sphere of day-to-day life of dwellers; hence, it is always a popular subject for visitors to discuss. Although regular bathing was not usual at that time—water came from a well and there were not pipes or sanitarians,—when the bath ritual took place, it was typical to cover the bathtub with clothes in order not to get dirty with the pitch varnishing the surface of the bath to make it waterproof.
Hygiene routine was essentially carried out by means of washstands (antecessors of washbasins) and scents, ointments and rubs—as well as wearing a fresh set of underwear, highest sign of cleanness. In this hall, there are placed both a chamber pot and a sofa with its correspondent hole, very aptly illustrates the customs of the period, original as everything in the house, from sixteenth or seventeenth centuries.
In that period of little literacy, especially for women, males used to start their education at the age of six years old. That was the period the siblings of Cervantes stayed in the house, period in which their slept in this room where the dueñas take care of them. As an epitome of how religion was a truly pervasive element, there is a seventeenth century bust of the Santos Niños, Justo y Pastor, patron of Alcalá, in the room.
At the back of the house, there are two halls following the same gallery surrounding the garden in the upper story. Those halls show different editions of Don Quixote and a wonderful and valuable collection of Miguel de Cervantes’ works in a great quantity of languages, published along several centuries.
Editions in Spanish and in other autonomous languages are showed in the first hall. There you can find, for instance, the first Spanish illustrated edition of Don Quixote (Madrid, 1674), the first Spanish edition published in England (London, 1738) or the first published by the Spanish Royal Academy of Language (Madrid, 1780).
In the second hall, several translated editions of Don Quixote are displayed,—such as the first English Edition of the Second Part of the book (London, 1620), the first Danish edition (Copenhague, 1776-77) and so on up to a total amount of more than 200 different editions, many of which are illustrated by great artists such as Coypel, Vanderbank, Doré, Dalí… In addition, an exposition of enlarged photographs of front pages and engravings of these copies are exhibited, making the visit to this hall even more enjoyable. Thanks to the purchase of the adjacent house and the consequent extension of the house-museum, these first floor halls offer to the visitors comfort and spaciousness, while the ground floor conference hall holds the launch of some books, as well as pedagogical workshops and an endless list of cultural activities.
The museum is being provided to make accessibility easier to blind people or persons with visual impairment among others, thanks to a collaboration agreement between ONCE (National Association of Spanish blind people) and the Community of Madrid.
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Fundada por el cardenal Jiménez de Cisneros a principios del siglo XVI, Alcalá de Henares fue la primera ciudad universitaria planificada del mundo. Fue el ejemplo de la Civitas Dei (Ciudad de Dios), comunidad urbana ideal que los misioneros españoles trasplantaron a América, y sirvió de modelo a toda una serie de universidades en Europa y otras partes del mundo.
El día 2 de diciembre de 1998 la UNESCO declaró a la Universidad y recinto histórico de la Ciudad de Alcalá de Henares Patrimonio de la Humanidad. Alcalá tuvo que competir con más de cuarenta candidatas, entre las cuales se encontraban algunas ciudades españolas.
El primero de los valores reconocidos por la UNESCO es la condición de Alcalá de Henares como primera ciudad universitaria planificada en la Edad Moderna.
El segundo valor se relaciona con el concepto de Ciudad del Saber y su repercusión cultural con la Biblia Políglota o las obras de Nebrija, además de haber sido gran ciudad en el Siglo de Oro y cuna de Cervantes.
A la consecución del título ha contribuido la idea de que la Universidad de Alcalá ha sido una universidad difusora del conocimiento y de la lengua.
On December 2, 1998 the UNESCO declared the University and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de Henares World Heritage City. Alcala had to compete with more than forty candidates, among whom were some Spanish cities.
The first recognized by UNESCO values is the condition of Alcalá de Henares as world’s first planned university city.
The second value is related to the concept of the City of Knowledge and its cultural impact with the Polyglot Bible or the works of Nebrija, besides being large city in the Golden Age and birthplace of Cervantes.
A World Heritage City, Alcalá de Henares was the world’s first planned university city. Founded by Cardinal Jiménez de Cisneros in the early 16th century, it was the original model for the Civitas Dei (City of God), the ideal urban community which Spanish missionaries brought to the Americas. It also served as a model for universities in Europe and elsewhere.
Alcalá de Henares was the first city to be designed and built solely as the seat of a university, and was to serve as the model for other centres of learning in Europe and the Americas. The concept of the ideal city, the City of God (Civitas Dei ), was first given material expression there, from where it was widely diffused throughout the world.
The Henares river valley has been settled by humankind since the Neolithic period. This strategic site in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula inevitably led to the establishment of a Roman town, Complutum. It was here that the child saints, Justus and Pastor, were martyred in AD 304, and their tomb outside the walls of the Roman town became a sanctuary round which the present historic centre developed. It was an Episcopal See during the Visigothic period, and became part of the Emirate of Cordoba when the Moors overran most of Spain; a fortress known as Al-Qal’at was built, and a small settlement grew up.
After it was recaptured in 1118, the territory of Alcalá was granted to the Archbishopric of Toledo; the city expanded and the medieval fortified settlement took shape with the Archbishop’s Palace at its centre. To the south was the Christian quarter, with its church, the Jewish quarter lay to the east, with the Arab quarter to the north. During the late 15th century, the urban core expanded with the construction outside the walls of the Franciscan Convent of San Diego, which attracted settlement around it. Following an attack by the King of Navarre a new, stronger wall was built to enclose the areas of expansion to the south and east. The town prospered until 1496, when the Jews were expelled from Spain by royal edict, taking with them their commercial activities. However, the urban fabric remained intact, making possible the creation of a new university city. Cardinal Ximénez de Cisneros began by founding the Colegio de San Ildefonso, at the present in the heart of the university city. It was built in 1537-53 by Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón, one of the greatest masters of the Plateresque style, and is notable for its grand facade, which symbolizes in its elaborate decoration the harmonious conjuncture of the Christian religion, of learning, and of imperial power.
Unlike other university cities in Europe, Alcalá de Henares did not develop slowly, adapting itself to its urban surroundings. From the start it was conceived by Cisneros as an entity, which took over a partly abandoned medieval town and converted it into a city whose function was solely that of a university. This involved the creation of houses to lodge professors and students and the provision of services such as a sewer system and paved streets. The little Chapel of St Justus was rebuilt as a church and given the title ‘Magistral’. More centres of learning were added progressively: there were eventually to be 25 Colegios Menores, while eight large monasteries were also colleges of the university.
The primary objective of the university was to train administrators for the Church and for the Spanish Empire. The Complutense Polyglot Bible (1514-17) illustrates the type of work that began in Alcalá: a masterpiece of typography, it took ten years to complete and established the bases of modern linguistic analysis as well as the accepted structure for dictionaries. This work was supported by that of Antonio de Nebrija, author of the first European grammar of a Romance language, published in 1492, which was to be the model for similar grammars in many European and Native American languages. From the mid-17th century, however, the number of students, estimated to have been over 12,000 in the 16th century, begin to decline in favour of Madrid, where the Church had begun to establish university colleges and convents on the Alcalá model. In 1836 the university was transferred to Madrid, where it survives today under the title of the Complutense University of Madrid. In 1974 the university established a School of Economics in Alcalá, and the present University of Alcalá de Henares was inaugurated.
The University Precinct begins at the Plaza Cervantes and extends to the east of the medieval city. It was enclosed by demolishing part of the earlier medieval walls and prolonging them round the new urban development. The walled medieval precinct has the Iglesia Magistral (cathedral), a Gothic structure, at its core, from which the street network radiates, merging into the former Jewish and Arab quarters. To the north-west is the ecclesiastical precinct, surrounded by its own walls; at its heart is the Archbishop’s Palace.
Source: UNESCO/CLT/WHC
The Henares river valley has been settled by humankind since the Neolithic period. Following the Roman colonization, this strategic site in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula inevitably led to the establishment of a Roman town, Complutum, some 1.5km from the present-day city centre. It was here that the child saints, Justus and Pastor, were martyred in AD 304, and their tomb outside the walls of the Roman town became a sanctuary round which the present historic centre developed.
It was an episcopal see during the Visigothic period, and became part of the Emirate of Córdoba when the Moors overran most of the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century. The town was relatively insignificant during the Moorish period. A fortress, known as Al-Qal’at («The Castle»), was built during the 12th century some 4km upstream of the Roman town, and a small settlement grew up around it.
After it was recaptured in 1118, the territory of Alcalá was granted to the Archbishopric of Toledo. The city expanded under successive prelates and the medieval fortified settlement took shape. The core was the episcopal precinct, with the Archbishop’s Palace at its centre. To the south was the Christian quarter, with its church, the Jewish quarter lay to the east, along the porticoed Calle Mayor, with the Arab quarter to the north. What is now the Plaza de Cervantes was an open area to the eastern edge of the town, the site of annual fairs and tournaments.
During the late 15th century the urban core expanded with the construction outside the walls of the Franciscan Convent of San Diego, which attracted settlement around it. Following an attack by the King of Navarre a new, stronger wall was built to enclose the areas of expansion to the south and east. The town prospered until 1496, when the Jews were expelled from Spain by Royal edict, taking with them their commercial activities. However, the urban fabric remained intact, making possible the creation of a new university city.
This was the brainchild of Cardinal Ximénez de Cisneros, who began by founding the Colegio de San Ildefonso. Unlike other university cities in Europe, such as Bologna, Oxford, Paris, and Salamanca, Alcalá de Henares did not develop slowly, adapting itself to its urban surroundings. From the start it was conceived by Cisneros as an entity, which took over a partly abandoned medieval town and converted it into a city whose function was solely that of a university. This involved the creation of houses to lodge professors and students and the provision of services such as a sewer system and paved streets. The little Chapel of St Justus was rebuilt as a church and given the title of «Magistral» whereby its canons became Masters (Magistri) of the University. More centres of learning were added progressively: there were eventually to be twenty-five Colegios Menores (Lesser Colleges), whilst eight large monasteries were also colleges of the University. This model of «university colleges» and «university convents» was to be adopted widely in the New World, as well as elsewhere in Spain.
In the New Privileged Law of 1509 Cisneros created an effective legal framework for his vision. The primary objective of the university was to train administrators for the Church and for the Spanish Empire. The Complutense Polyglot Bible (1514-17) illustrates the type of work that began in Alcalá: a masterpiece of typography, it took ten years to complete and established the bases of modern linguistic analysis as well as the accepted structure for dictionaries. This work was supported by that of Antonio de Nebrija, who was the author of the first European grammar of a Romance language (Gramática de la Lengua Castellana), published in 1492, which was to be the model for similar grammars in many European and native American languages. The New Laws of the Indies were prepared in Alcalá and published there in 1542, the work of the law faculties of the University.
From the mid 17th century, however, saw the number of students, estimated to have been over 12,000 in the 16th century, begin to decline in favour of Madrid, where the Church had begun to establish university colleges and convents on the Alcalá model. This process continued until 1836 when, following the disenfranchisement of church and university properties by Mendizabal, the University was transferred to Madrid, where it survives today under the title of the Complutense University of Madrid.
Alcalá de Henares found itself as a result deprived of its raison d’être. The historic buildings of the University, and the urban fabric of the city itself, were at risk, but they were preserved by the actions of the citizens of Alcalá themselves. In a unique act the Society of Joint Owners (Sociedad de Condueños) purchased most of the University buildings and preserved them, in some cases unoccupied, to await the return of the University to the city. Others were converted for military use, retaining their principal features intact.
The city began to expand with the arrival of the railway in 1856. It did not develop substantially, however, until the 1960s, when there was heavy domestic immigration from other parts of Spain to what was becoming an industrial centre. Fortunately, this development, largely unplanned and uncontrolled, did not affect the historic centre, still largely owned by the Society of Joint Owners or the army and further protected by being declared an Historic Area in 1968.
Calls for the return of the University began in 1970, when the Madrid institution had begun using «Complutense» in its title. In 1974 that university established a School of Economics in Alcalá. It was not until three years later that the present University of Alcalá de Henares was inaugurated.
In 1985 a covenant was signed for the military buildings to be renovated and restored to their original use, and the seven buildings that comprised the original foundation of Cisneros were handed over by the Society of Joint Owners. Other historic buildings were purchased and integrated into the University or given associated cultural functions.
Source: Advisory Body Evaluation
Fundada por el cardenal Jiménez de Cisneros a principios del siglo XVI, Alcalá de Henares fue la primera ciudad universitaria planificada del mundo. Fue el ejemplo de la Civitas Dei (Ciudad de Dios), comunidad urbana ideal que los misioneros españoles trasplantaron a América, y sirvió de modelo a toda una serie de universidades en Europa y otras partes del mundo.
El día 2 de diciembre de 1998 la UNESCO declaró a la Universidad y recinto histórico de la Ciudad de Alcalá de Henares Patrimonio de la Humanidad. Alcalá tuvo que competir con más de cuarenta candidatas, entre las cuales se encontraban algunas ciudades españolas.
El primero de los valores reconocidos por la UNESCO es la condición de Alcalá de Henares como primera ciudad universitaria planificada en la Edad Moderna.
El segundo valor se relaciona con el concepto de Ciudad del Saber y su repercusión cultural con la Biblia Políglota o las obras de Nebrija, además de haber sido gran ciudad en el Siglo de Oro y cuna de Cervantes.
A la consecución del título ha contribuido la idea de que la Universidad de Alcalá ha sido una universidad difusora del conocimiento y de la lengua.
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On December 2, 1998 the UNESCO declared the University and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de Henares World Heritage City. Alcala had to compete with more than forty candidates, among whom were some Spanish cities.
The first recognized by UNESCO values is the condition of Alcalá de Henares as world’s first planned university city.
The second value is related to the concept of the City of Knowledge and its cultural impact with the Polyglot Bible or the works of Nebrija, besides being large city in the Golden Age and birthplace of Cervantes.
A World Heritage City, Alcalá de Henares was the world’s first planned university city. Founded by Cardinal Jiménez de Cisneros in the early 16th century, it was the original model for the Civitas Dei (City of God), the ideal urban community which Spanish missionaries brought to the Americas. It also served as a model for universities in Europe and elsewhere.
Alcalá de Henares was the first city to be designed and built solely as the seat of a university, and was to serve as the model for other centres of learning in Europe and the Americas. The concept of the ideal city, the City of God (Civitas Dei ), was first given material expression there, from where it was widely diffused throughout the world.
The Henares river valley has been settled by humankind since the Neolithic period. This strategic site in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula inevitably led to the establishment of a Roman town, Complutum. It was here that the child saints, Justus and Pastor, were martyred in AD 304, and their tomb outside the walls of the Roman town became a sanctuary round which the present historic centre developed. It was an Episcopal See during the Visigothic period, and became part of the Emirate of Cordoba when the Moors overran most of Spain; a fortress known as Al-Qal’at was built, and a small settlement grew up.
After it was recaptured in 1118, the territory of Alcalá was granted to the Archbishopric of Toledo; the city expanded and the medieval fortified settlement took shape with the Archbishop’s Palace at its centre. To the south was the Christian quarter, with its church, the Jewish quarter lay to the east, with the Arab quarter to the north. During the late 15th century, the urban core expanded with the construction outside the walls of the Franciscan Convent of San Diego, which attracted settlement around it. Following an attack by the King of Navarre a new, stronger wall was built to enclose the areas of expansion to the south and east. The town prospered until 1496, when the Jews were expelled from Spain by royal edict, taking with them their commercial activities. However, the urban fabric remained intact, making possible the creation of a new university city. Cardinal Ximénez de Cisneros began by founding the Colegio de San Ildefonso, at the present in the heart of the university city. It was built in 1537-53 by Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón, one of the greatest masters of the Plateresque style, and is notable for its grand facade, which symbolizes in its elaborate decoration the harmonious conjuncture of the Christian religion, of learning, and of imperial power.
Unlike other university cities in Europe, Alcalá de Henares did not develop slowly, adapting itself to its urban surroundings. From the start it was conceived by Cisneros as an entity, which took over a partly abandoned medieval town and converted it into a city whose function was solely that of a university. This involved the creation of houses to lodge professors and students and the provision of services such as a sewer system and paved streets. The little Chapel of St Justus was rebuilt as a church and given the title ‘Magistral’. More centres of learning were added progressively: there were eventually to be 25 Colegios Menores, while eight large monasteries were also colleges of the university.
The primary objective of the university was to train administrators for the Church and for the Spanish Empire. The Complutense Polyglot Bible (1514-17) illustrates the type of work that began in Alcalá: a masterpiece of typography, it took ten years to complete and established the bases of modern linguistic analysis as well as the accepted structure for dictionaries. This work was supported by that of Antonio de Nebrija, author of the first European grammar of a Romance language, published in 1492, which was to be the model for similar grammars in many European and Native American languages. From the mid-17th century, however, the number of students, estimated to have been over 12,000 in the 16th century, begin to decline in favour of Madrid, where the Church had begun to establish university colleges and convents on the Alcalá model. In 1836 the university was transferred to Madrid, where it survives today under the title of the Complutense University of Madrid. In 1974 the university established a School of Economics in Alcalá, and the present University of Alcalá de Henares was inaugurated.
The University Precinct begins at the Plaza Cervantes and extends to the east of the medieval city. It was enclosed by demolishing part of the earlier medieval walls and prolonging them round the new urban development. The walled medieval precinct has the Iglesia Magistral (cathedral), a Gothic structure, at its core, from which the street network radiates, merging into the former Jewish and Arab quarters. To the north-west is the ecclesiastical precinct, surrounded by its own walls; at its heart is the Archbishop’s Palace.
Source: UNESCO/CLT/WHC
The Henares river valley has been settled by humankind since the Neolithic period. Following the Roman colonization, this strategic site in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula inevitably led to the establishment of a Roman town, Complutum, some 1.5km from the present-day city centre. It was here that the child saints, Justus and Pastor, were martyred in AD 304, and their tomb outside the walls of the Roman town became a sanctuary round which the present historic centre developed.
It was an episcopal see during the Visigothic period, and became part of the Emirate of Córdoba when the Moors overran most of the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century. The town was relatively insignificant during the Moorish period. A fortress, known as Al-Qal’at («The Castle»), was built during the 12th century some 4km upstream of the Roman town, and a small settlement grew up around it.
After it was recaptured in 1118, the territory of Alcalá was granted to the Archbishopric of Toledo. The city expanded under successive prelates and the medieval fortified settlement took shape. The core was the episcopal precinct, with the Archbishop’s Palace at its centre. To the south was the Christian quarter, with its church, the Jewish quarter lay to the east, along the porticoed Calle Mayor, with the Arab quarter to the north. What is now the Plaza de Cervantes was an open area to the eastern edge of the town, the site of annual fairs and tournaments.
During the late 15th century the urban core expanded with the construction outside the walls of the Franciscan Convent of San Diego, which attracted settlement around it. Following an attack by the King of Navarre a new, stronger wall was built to enclose the areas of expansion to the south and east. The town prospered until 1496, when the Jews were expelled from Spain by Royal edict, taking with them their commercial activities. However, the urban fabric remained intact, making possible the creation of a new university city.
This was the brainchild of Cardinal Ximénez de Cisneros, who began by founding the Colegio de San Ildefonso. Unlike other university cities in Europe, such as Bologna, Oxford, Paris, and Salamanca, Alcalá de Henares did not develop slowly, adapting itself to its urban surroundings. From the start it was conceived by Cisneros as an entity, which took over a partly abandoned medieval town and converted it into a city whose function was solely that of a university. This involved the creation of houses to lodge professors and students and the provision of services such as a sewer system and paved streets. The little Chapel of St Justus was rebuilt as a church and given the title of «Magistral» whereby its canons became Masters (Magistri) of the University. More centres of learning were added progressively: there were eventually to be twenty-five Colegios Menores (Lesser Colleges), whilst eight large monasteries were also colleges of the University. This model of «university colleges» and «university convents» was to be adopted widely in the New World, as well as elsewhere in Spain.
In the New Privileged Law of 1509 Cisneros created an effective legal framework for his vision. The primary objective of the university was to train administrators for the Church and for the Spanish Empire. The Complutense Polyglot Bible (1514-17) illustrates the type of work that began in Alcalá: a masterpiece of typography, it took ten years to complete and established the bases of modern linguistic analysis as well as the accepted structure for dictionaries. This work was supported by that of Antonio de Nebrija, who was the author of the first European grammar of a Romance language (Gramática de la Lengua Castellana), published in 1492, which was to be the model for similar grammars in many European and native American languages. The New Laws of the Indies were prepared in Alcalá and published there in 1542, the work of the law faculties of the University.
From the mid 17th century, however, saw the number of students, estimated to have been over 12,000 in the 16th century, begin to decline in favour of Madrid, where the Church had begun to establish university colleges and convents on the Alcalá model. This process continued until 1836 when, following the disenfranchisement of church and university properties by Mendizabal, the University was transferred to Madrid, where it survives today under the title of the Complutense University of Madrid.
Alcalá de Henares found itself as a result deprived of its raison d’être. The historic buildings of the University, and the urban fabric of the city itself, were at risk, but they were preserved by the actions of the citizens of Alcalá themselves. In a unique act the Society of Joint Owners (Sociedad de Condueños) purchased most of the University buildings and preserved them, in some cases unoccupied, to await the return of the University to the city. Others were converted for military use, retaining their principal features intact.
The city began to expand with the arrival of the railway in 1856. It did not develop substantially, however, until the 1960s, when there was heavy domestic immigration from other parts of Spain to what was becoming an industrial centre. Fortunately, this development, largely unplanned and uncontrolled, did not affect the historic centre, still largely owned by the Society of Joint Owners or the army and further protected by being declared an Historic Area in 1968.
Calls for the return of the University began in 1970, when the Madrid institution had begun using «Complutense» in its title. In 1974 that university established a School of Economics in Alcalá. It was not until three years later that the present University of Alcalá de Henares was inaugurated.
In 1985 a covenant was signed for the military buildings to be renovated and restored to their original use, and the seven buildings that comprised the original foundation of Cisneros were handed over by the Society of Joint Owners. Other historic buildings were purchased and integrated into the University or given associated cultural functions.
Source: Advisory Body Evaluation
