Monastery of the Descalzas Reales

Chapter 10/11 · Madrid

This austere building is the Monastery of the Descalzas Reales, the Royal Barefoot Nuns, a closed convent of Poor Clares. It was founded in 1559 by Joanna of Austria, sister of King Philip II and mother of King Sebastian of Portugal, in the palace where she had been born in 1535 and where Emperor Charles V and Empress Isabella of Portugal had lived.

Joanna is buried in a chapel of the monastery, with a kneeling statue by Pompeo Leoni. Her sister, Empress Maria, also lived here and died here in 1603. The monastery holds great artistic treasures, such as tapestries woven in Brussels from cartoons by Rubens, commissioned by the Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia, daughter of Philip II. It is managed by Patrimonio Nacional and in 1987 it was chosen European Museum of the Year; the award was presented in 1988.

There are two statues in the square: one of Francisco Piquer, chaplain of the monastery and founder of the Monte de Piedad pawn bank, and one of the Marquis of Pontejos.

Now we walk down Calle de Preciados, one of the busiest shopping streets, back to Puerta del Sol.

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