Clerecía

The building houses the Pontifical University. The complex was built under Felipe III´ s orders, at the beginning of the XVII Century. The temple consists of one nave and a transept, and over it, a dome composed by an eight sides tambour. The façade consists of two bodies with wide columns among which several royal coats of arms of great dimensions stand out as well as three doors of access.

The towers are built in Baroque style and were added later by Andrés García de Quiñones, (as well as the bell tower and the cloister) and in their corners they are finished off by pinnacles that support small statues, carried out by Gregorio Carnicero. The bell tower has a relief of the Holy Ghost´ s coming in its gable and on top of the bell an image of the Virgin protrudes. We should highlight the “Claustro de los Estudios” (Studies cloister) that is divided into three bodies.

The first floor is surrounded by slender round arches, the second one is surrounded by balconies with grilles that are crowned by an octogonal oculus and the third one, windows that are divided by slender support pillars.