Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes facts for kids
Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes
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 Location in Castilla-La Mancha
Location in Spain
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| Monastery information | |
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| Other names | San Juan de la Reyna |
| Dedicated to | Saint John the Evangelist |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | Juan Guas |
| Style | Isabelline |
| Groundbreaking | 1477 |
| Completion date | 1504 |
| Site | |
| Location |  Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain |
| Coordinates | 39°51′28″N 4°1′54″W / 39.85778°N 4.03167°W |
The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes (which means "Monastery of Saint John of the Monarchs") is a beautiful Franciscan monastery in Toledo, Spain. It was built by two famous Spanish rulers, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, often called the Catholic Monarchs. Construction started in 1477 and finished in 1504. This monastery is a great example of the unique Isabelline style of architecture.
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Why This Monastery Was Built
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella had this monastery built for two important reasons. First, they wanted to celebrate the birth of their son, Prince John. Second, they wanted to remember their victory at the Battle of Toro in 1476. This battle was very important because it helped them secure their power and unite the kingdoms of Spain.
Toledo was chosen as the perfect spot for the monastery. It was in the center of Spain and had been the capital of an old kingdom. Building it there showed how Ferdinand and Isabella were bringing Spain back together.
A Look at Its History
The monastery was first called "San Juan de la Reyna." It was originally planned to be the burial place for the Catholic Monarchs. However, they later decided to be buried in Granada after they took the city back in 1492.
Building the monastery began in 1477, following designs by architect Juan Guas. It was finished in 1504 and dedicated to Saint John the Evangelist. Franciscan friars used it for their religious life.
Sadly, the monastery was badly damaged in 1809 by Napoleon's troops. It was left empty in 1835. Work to fix it started in 1883 but wasn't completed until 1967. The Franciscan order returned to the monastery in 1954.
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What the Monastery Looks Like
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The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes is a great example of the Isabelline style. Its church is shaped like a Latin cross, with a long main hall about 50 meters long and 30 meters high. There are three small chapels on each side of the main hall and two more under the choir area.
The church is famous for its decorations. You can see the coats of arms (symbols) of the Catholic Monarchs held by eagles. The main altar in the church's front part was made in the mid-1500s. It shows scenes from the life of Jesus, like his suffering and rising from the dead.
The monastery also has a beautiful cloister, which is an open courtyard with covered walkways around it. It has a small garden in the middle. The ceiling of the ground floor has cool designs with figures of saints, animals, and plants. These were made by a sculptor named Cecilio Béjar in the 20th century.
The upper part of the cloister was finished in 1526 and fixed up in the 1800s. It features amazing Mudéjar decorations. Mudéjar is a style that mixes Christian and Islamic art. The ceiling here is made of larch wood and is painted with patterns and the coats of arms of the Catholic Monarchs. It also has their motto: Tanto monta, monta tanto.
On the outside of the monastery, you can see something very special. The stone walls are decorated with real manacles and shackles. These were chains worn by Christian prisoners who were held by the Moors in Granada. Queen Isabella ordered them to be put there in 1494 to celebrate the victory of the Christians and the release of these prisoners during the Reconquista.
Images for kids
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Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes
See also
In Spanish: Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes para niños
