Convent of the Salesas Reales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Convent of las Salesas Reales |
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| Native name Spanish: Convento de las Salesas Reales |
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| Location | Madrid, Spain |
| Official name: Convento de las Salesas Reales | |
| Type | Non-movable |
| Criteria | Monument |
| Designated | 1979 |
| Reference no. | RI-51-0004359 |
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The Convent of the Salesas Reales is a beautiful old building in central Madrid, Spain. It was built a long time ago, in the 1700s.
It used to be a convent, which is like a home for nuns. The nuns belonged to a group called the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary. This group was started by St. Francis de Sales and St Jeanne de Chantal.
Today, the church part of the building is called the Church of Santa Barbara. It's a regular church for people in the area. The rest of the old convent building is now where the Supreme Court of Spain works.
History of the Convent
The convent was started in 1748 by Queen Barbara of Portugal. She was the wife of King Ferdinand VI. The Queen wanted to create a school and a home for young noble women. She also wanted a quiet place where she could go to retire.
The first plans for the convent were made by François Carlier in 1743. Later, Francisco Moradillo changed and finished the plans by 1750.
In 1870, the nuns had to leave the building. It was then changed into the Palace of Justice. The building had two fires in the 1900s. It needed to be fixed by an architect named Joaquín Roji. The main staircase was finished in 1930.
The outside of the building looks simpler now than it did in the 1700s. Back then, it had many decorations. It also had lots of windows, which was unusual for convents.
Some people at the time made fun of the Queen's expensive building. They said:
- Bárbara Reina; bárbara obra; bárbaro gusto; bárbaro gasto.
This means:
- Barbara Queen, barbarous work; barbarous taste; barbarous waste (expense).
The Church of Santa Barbara
The church inside the complex is very important. It holds the tombs of King Ferdinand VI and his wife, Queen Bárbara de Braganza (Barbara of Portugal).
Both the church and the convent are listed as bienes de interés cultural. This means they are very important cultural sites in Spain.
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See also
In Spanish: Convento de las Salesas Reales (Madrid) para niños
