Convento de la Purísima Concepción, Toledo facts for kids
The Convento de la Purísima Concepción is a beautiful old building in Toledo, a city in Spain. People also call it the Convento de Capuchinas. It's a special kind of religious home called a convent.
This convent was built in the late 1600s. But it actually started much earlier as a home for a different group of religious people, the Augustinians. The main church part, called the chapel, was finished in 1671. That's when it was officially blessed. By 1677, most of the other buildings of the convent were also done. This was around the time its main supporter, Cardinal Don Pascual de Aragón, passed away.
Inside the Church
The church inside the convent is mostly shaped like a rectangle. It has one main open space, called a nave. This space is divided into three parts. There's a central area, a main chapel, and a choir section. The choir is high up at the back, above a wide arch.
The main nave and chapel have rounded ceilings called half barrel vaults. These ceilings also have special window openings called lunettes. In the middle of the church, there's a dome that sits on curved supports called pechinas (pendentives). This dome doesn't have a tall base or windows.
The walls inside are simple and clean. They have flat columns, known as Tuscan pilasters, that reach up to the ceiling. Four strong pillars hold up the dome in the center. The front part of the church, called the chancel, looks lighter and more open.
At the very end of the church, you'll find the main altarpiece. On one side, there's a decorative screen, or grille. Behind it is where the nuns would sit for services. This area is wide and not very tall. Its low ceiling has a huge painted shield by Francisco Rizi. It shows the coat of arms of Cardinal Pascual de Aragón. On the other side of the church, there's a special chapel dedicated to Christ.
Simple and Elegant Design
The inside of the church is very simple and doesn't have much decoration. This was done on purpose. Instead of lots of fancy details, the beauty comes from the expensive materials used. Things like marble, jaspers (a type of stone), and bronze were used for the altarpieces, picture frames, and special plaques.
Every part of this building was made with great care and skill. The design shows a perfect balance and proportion. It's truly amazing to see how well everything fits together.
From the outside, the convent looks like many other buildings from the 1600s in Toledo. It's mostly made of brick with stone details. The shapes are simple and blocky, with straight lines.
Other Cool Parts
The convent also has other buildings. One important part is a small cloister. A cloister is an open courtyard surrounded by covered walkways. This one has two floors, each with four walkways. These walkways have rounded arches that open up to the central courtyard. The cloister helps connect all the different rooms of the convent.
Amazing Artworks
The walls of the main church area are decorated with beautiful paintings.
- One painting is by Simón de León Leal. It shows King Ferdinand III the Saint with Saint Hermenegild. This painting was made in 1670.
- Another painting is by Carlo Francesco Nuvolone. It shows the "Assumption of the Virgin" and was painted before 1646.
- There's also a painting by Giovanni Peruzzini called Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis.
- And one by Giacinto Giminiani called Apparition of the Child to Santa Rosa de Lima. Both of these were signed in 1670.
See also
In Spanish: Convento de la Purísima Concepción (Toledo) para niños
