Convent of Santa Clara of Gandia facts for kids
Church of the Convent of Santa Clara of Gandia
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| Monastery information | |
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| Full name | Convent of Santa Clara of Gandia |
| Other names | Convent de Santa Clara de Gandia |
| Order | Colettine Poor Clares |
| Established | 1431 |
| Diocese | Valencia |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Violante of Aragon |
| Important associated figures | House of Borgia, Duke of Gandia |
| Site | |
| Location | Gandia, (Valencian Community), Spain |
| Public access | Yes |
The Convent of Santa Clara is a historic building from the 1400s. It is a Roman Catholic convent where Colettine Poor Clares nuns live. These nuns follow a special, quiet life away from the outside world. The convent is in the town of Gandia, in the Province of Valencia, Spain. You can find it right in the center of Gandia, very close to the Collegiate Basilica of Gandia, in María Enríquez de Luna square.
Contents
History of the Convent of Santa Clara
The Convent of Santa Clara was started in 1431 by Violante of Aragon. She was the daughter of Alfonso of Aragon and Foix, who was a Royal Duke of Gandía. The convent shows how important Gandia was in history and art. The church inside is built in the Gothic style and has a beautiful altarpiece (a piece of art behind the altar) made by Paolo da San Leocadio. Many women from the famous Borgia family lived their lives in this convent.
After Violante of Aragon passed away, the convent was almost empty for a few years. Later, a noble person from Valencia named Luis Vich y de Corbera decided to fix it up. The convent became a new home for ten nuns from the same religious group. They had left their convent in France, in the city of Lézignan-Corbières. One of these nuns was María Escarlata, who was the sister of a French Prince. She came to the Gandia convent to find safety.
María Enríquez de Luna, who was the Duchess of Gandia, also joined the convent. She became a nun named Sister Gabriela. In 1530, she became the Abbess, which is the head nun of the convent. She passed away nine years later. Her daughter, Sister Francisca de Jesús, was chosen as the abbess in 1533. She led the convent until 1548, when she decided to leave to start new convents away from her family. She was happy to see her own mother, Sister María Gabriela, and five of her nieces become nuns at the Gandia convent. Her nieces were the daughters of her brother Juan de Borja y Enríquez de Luna, and sisters of Saint Francis Borgia.
In the convent's courtyard, there is an olive tree. People say that Saint Francis Borgia himself planted it. The convent also has a special statue called the Virgin of Baluarte, which means the Virgin of the Bastion.
Art Treasures at the Convent
The Convent of Santa Clara has an amazing collection of art. Many of these artworks were given to the convent by the Borgia family. You can find paintings by famous artists like José de Ribera, Juan de Juanes, Paolo da San Leocadio, Francisco Salzillo, and painters from the school of Francisco Ribalta. In 2010, the convent made an agreement to lend some of its artworks to the Gandia Town Hall. These pieces will be part of a future museum called the Museum of the Poor Clares, which will be located in the old Sant Marc Hospital.
Visiting the Convent
Since it is a cloistered convent, meaning the nuns live a private life, you can only visit the church part of the building. The church is built in the Valencian Gothic style and is located on the right side of the convent.
See also
In Spanish: Convento de Santa Clara (Gandía) para niños
