Convent of San Domingos de Bonaval

Convent of San Domingos de Bonaval is located in Santiago de Compostela, but outside the old walled city on the slopes of Mount Almáciga, near the place known as Porta do Camiño, which was one of the gates by which pilgrims entered the city.

The convent was founded by St. Dominic de Guzman (who went on pilgrimage to Santiago in 1219) in the early thirteenth century. The oldest document which cites the convent, with the original name of Santa Maria, dates back to 1228. From the fifteenth century, it appears with the title of Santo Domingo, and under the patronage of the house of Altamira.

In 1695 starts the reconstruction of the convent, apparently due to the precarious situation of the building. Domingo de Andrade was in charge of the works under the patronage of Archbishop Antonio de Monroy. Thus, the current image of the convent is largely the result of the reforms ordered by this archbishop of Compostela, who held office between 1685 and 1715.

Like many Spanish monasteries, it was closed in the nineteenth century as part of the Ecclesiastical confiscations of Mendizábal.

The complex includes architecture in various styles including work by the Galician Baroque architect Domingo de Andrade. The church, built in Gothic and Renaissance style, is not currently open for worship. It houses the Pantheon of Illustrious Galicians and is a concert venue. It was built according to the canons of Gothic naves Dominican with light and airy, with the focus of services moved from the apse towards the pulpit located in the crossing. In this temple were buried the noble families of Moscoso and Castro, through the authorization of Pope Innocent IV, who gave the Dominican Order permission to bury lay people in their convents. The temple is completely covered with vaults.

References:

• Wikipedia

Address

Rúa de Bonaval 5, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Details

Founded: c. 1228
Category: Religious sites in Spain