Hieronymite Monastery

The monasterio de los Jerónimos is a monumental complex built in 1738 between the Murcian municipalities of Guadalupe and La Ñora. 

 

The building was created on the site of a former monastery (San Pedro de la Ñora) erected in La Ñora in 1578 by Mr. Alonso Vozmediano de Arróniz. The monastery was located in an area commonly flooded by the Segura River, which is why the decision to protect it was made by taking it to a better place: a hillock in the Guadalupe district overlooking Murcia's orchard.  The new monastery was built by the architect -friar Fray Antonio de San José and inaugurated by the bishop Tomas José Ruiz de Montes on February 1, 1738. The many presents and donations received by the friars have contributed to the economic and artistic wealth of the convent.

 

The church and monastery has a Latin cross floor plan, a exposed brick facade, a door with semicircular arches and two slender towers decorated with blue-tiled domes typical of the Murcian Baroque style. The temple has a polygonal dome with pillars in the corners and a rather large structure giving a magnificent light and shade effect.  The inside is totally Baroque.

 

This monastery complex, known as El Escorial of Murcia, currently houses the installations of UCAM (Catholic University of San Antonio).