San Isidoro del Campo Monastery, Santiponce, Spain

Located in Santiponce, the Monasterio de San Isidoro del Campo was founded somewhere near the Roman ruins of Itálica, by Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán and María Coronel Alonso in 1301, where according to tradition San Isidoro de Sevilla had been buried. His remains were discovered and moved to León in 1063.

Since its foundation, the monastery has been under the spiritual and temporary administration of different religious orders. In 1432 the Hieronymites of the Order of Saint Jerome significantly reformed the monastery which is reflected in the concept of monastic life and in the decoration.

In this unique fortress-monastery, with a double church, the Gothic style is juxtaposed with clear Languedoc and Mudejar influences, where the Almohad tradition is clearly visible. Unlike Cistercian austerity, the Hieronymite monastery is decorated with murals that make up what is possibly one of the most outstanding ensembles in Spain.

The monastery was extended and became richer over the centuries, eventually having a tower, a belfry, five cloisters and, next to the monastic quarters, the attorney general's quarters, a hostelry and the farming facilities expected of an institution aspiring to self-sufficiency.

During the Baroque, period, this medieval establishment was transformed with altarpieces (the two by Martínez Montañés on public display are worthy of special mention), stalls, new murals and plaster vaults.

References:

andalucia.org

User Reviews

John Cua (3 years ago)
A great monastery but it need of repairs to maintain the facade and all the arts in the building

Nicola Davenport (4 years ago)
V impressive frescoes, altar sculptures by Martínez Montañés, and general architecture. Not a well-known spot, but I do recommend combining a visit here with a trip to nearby Itálica if you are in Santiponce anyway. No entrance fee. No English explanations but luckily had an extremely knowledgeable pair of friends with me. Refurbishment is ongoing so I hope more of the site will open in due course.

Philip Smith (6 years ago)
Lovely wall paintings in interesting monastery setting. Worth a visit.

Mike Johnson (6 years ago)
Casiodoro de Reina, 500th anniversary of his birth in 2020, was a monk here who translated the Bible into Spanish.

Philip Smith (6 years ago)
Lovely wall paintings in interesting monastery setting. Worth a visit.

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San Isidoro del Campo Monastery

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