Descalzas Reales
The Monastery of Barefoot Royals (Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales in Spanish) is a franciscan convent, also
known as Monasterio de Nuestra Señora la Consolación. It occupies the old palace where they resided
Carlos I and Isabel of Portugal, where he was born in 1535, his daughter Juana. And it were founded as a
convent in 1557 by Juana.
The convent boasts an impressive collection of art and relics. Amongst its attractions are an array of
marble sculptures, and works by Tiziano, Sánchez Coello and Luini.
Other important collections are the tapestries woven in Brussels (were based on drawings by Rubens),
and representing the Apotheosis of the Eucharist.
The convent still houses a number of Franciscan nuns, living in an enclosed order as solitaries and
devoting their lives to prayer, contemplation. The cloister is well known as the site of processions
during Holy Week, especially on Good Friday, where the event is accompanied by music from the era when
the convent was founded.
The Monastery is the first of Central Madrid's royal
monasteries (the other is the Monasterio de la Encarnación).
As at the Monasterio de la Encarnación, visits to the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales are by guided tours
in Spanish only.
Directions:
Plaza de las Descalzas
28013 Madrid
Phone: +34 91 454 88 00, Fax: +34 91 542 69 47
http://www.patrimonionacional.es/
Open:
Tuesday to Saturday: 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 18:30.
Sundays and holidays: 10:00 to 15:00.
Closed:
Every Monday.
* Lines 5 and 2 - Ópera station.
* Lines 5 and 3 - Callao station.
