Monastery of Uclés facts for kids

The Monastery de Santiago de Uclés is a very old and important building. It is located in the Spanish town of Uclés in Castile-La Mancha. This monastery was built by the Order of Santiago, which was a group of knights. Uclés was their main headquarters, like their central base.

Exploring the Monastery's Location

The monastery sits on top of a hill. This hill is on the west side of Uclés. The monastery is part of a big group of buildings. These buildings were constructed over many different time periods. They started being built when Muslims ruled the area. Later, the Order of Santiago made it into a strong fortress. This place became the most important home for the Order. It got its current look during the Reconquista, which was when Christians took back land in Spain.

A Look at the Monastery's History

View of the Monasterio de Uclés on top of the hill of El Portillo (from the West).

An old picture from 1853 showing the monastery's tall spires. These spires were later removed after a fire.

The hill where the monastery stands today has a long history. Long ago, it was a Bronze Age fortress. This fortress was used by the Celtiberians, who were native Celtic people. In 893, a leader named Al-Fath ben Musa ben Dhi-l-Num made Uclés his home. He built a new fortress there in 896 to protect the town.

In 1085, Christians took over Uclés. They put soldiers there to guard it. However, in 1108, a big battle happened. It was called the Battle of Uclés (1108). The Christian army was defeated by Tamim ben Yusuf.

Christians took Uclés back in 1174. King Alfonso VIII of Castile then gave the fortress to the Order of Santiago. This is when it became their main headquarters.

After the Reconquista ended, the buildings were changed. Many parts of the fortress that were for defense were removed. This gave the monastery its current look. But two walls were kept. One wall protects an old garden. This garden gets water from the Bedija river.

Building the monastery we see today started on May 7, 1529. This was during the time of Carlos V, Holy Roman Emperor. The east side was built first. It was in a style called Plateresque. The first designs were made by Enrique Egas.

Later, in the late 1500s, building continued in the Herrerian style. In the 1600s, work on the courtyard and main staircase went on. The west and south parts were finished. In 1735, during the reign of Philip V, the east side of the church and the main roof were completed. This part was in the Churrigueresque style. Stones from a nearby hill were used for building, especially for the front of the east side.

In 1836, the Order of Santiago had to leave the monastery. This was due to a government action. In the early 1900s, there were ideas to make it a school. Later, it was planned to be a college for Augustinians. But in 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, the monastery was damaged.

During the war, it was used as a hospital. After the war, from 1939 to 1943, it served as a prison. People who died there were buried outside the monastery. In 1949, the monastery became a small school for priests.

A Protected Monument: Bien de Interés Cultural

The monastery was officially named a National Monument on June 3, 1931. This means it is a very important historical site. In 2003, the area around the monastery also got special protection.

Architectural Styles of the Monastery

The monastery was built over a very long time. Because of this, it shows three different building styles. These are Plateresque, Herrerian, and Churrigueresque. The east part of the monastery was built in the early 1500s. It shows the Plateresque style. The church, in the north part, was finished in 1602. It is in the Herrerian style. The rest of the monastery was built in the 1600s. It is in the Baroque style. The main front of the building, designed by Pedro de Ribera, is in the Churrigueresque style.

Plateresque Style: Detailed Decorations

The eastern facade, showing Plateresque decorations.

The Plateresque style gets its name because its decorations look like the detailed work of silversmiths. This part of the building was designed by Enrique Egas. Many other builders worked on it too.

You can see the Plateresque style clearly on the eastern front of the building. The windows have unique decorations. These include skulls, shells, crosses, and other symbolic shapes. The dining hall has a special ceiling. It has carvings of pine trees. There are also 36 carved sections. Each section has a bust (a sculpture of a head and shoulders). These busts represent important masters, leaders, and knights of the Order of Santiago. One famous bust is for Don Álvaro de Luna. Instead of his face, it shows a crowned skull. Around it, there is a message that says, "You, noble lords, know that anyone forgives."

The image of Carlos V, Holy Roman Emperor is in the center. He is shown with his imperial symbols, a sword and an orb. The south side has the shield of Spain. The old room where priests prepare for services has two parts that meet at a right angle. Its ceiling has arched ribs. The Plateresque style also covers decorative bands, columns, and flat columns.

A view of the church tower from the patio.

Herrerian Style: Grand and Simple

The church was finished in 1598. It was designed by Francisco de Mora. He was a student of Juan de Herrera, who designed the famous El Escorial. Because of this, the church is sometimes called the "Escorial of La Mancha."

The church is shaped like a Latin cross. It has one long main area with five sections. There is also a high choir area. It is 65 meters long and 12 meters wide. The central part of the church is taller. It has a dome shaped like a lantern. A decorative screen separates it. This screen has royal symbols and the cross of Saint James. The dome was designed by Antonio Segura. It has decorative sections on its curved parts. The main area has side chapels that connect. These form two side aisles.

The main altar is in a Greco-Roman style. It also has some Baroque features. Francisco García Dardero was hired to create it. The painting of Saint James above the altar was done by Francisco Rizi. He was a painter for King Philip IV.

The church, an example of Herrerian architecture by Francisco de Mora.

Between the sacristy and the church is the entrance to the crypt. This is an underground room. It is also shaped like a Latin cross. The crypt used to hold the remains of many members of the Order of Santiago. This included Doña Urraca and the Grand Master Rodrigo Manrique de Lara and his wife. His famous son, Jorge Manrique, was also buried there. In the 1600s, these remains were moved to a chapel under the choir. It is thought that the writer Francisco de Quevedo was once held prisoner in a cell in the crypt.

In the 1600s, the monastery's courtyard was built. It has two floors of open walkways. The cloister, which is a covered walkway around a courtyard, has 36 balconies on its upper floor.

The west front of the church was planned by Francisco de Mora. But he did not build it himself. It is also in the Herrerian style. This is where the main entrance to the church is. This front used to have two tall towers with pointed tops. But these towers were destroyed in fires in 1845 and 1877.

Churrigueresque Style: Ornate and Dramatic

The main facade of the monastery.

The main front of the monastery was built in 1735. It was designed by Pedro de Ribera. He was a famous Baroque architect. This facade looks like a grand altar. It has many carved decorations. There are four decorative columns that do not hold up the building.

The carvings include dolphins, lions, heads, warriors, and fruits. There are also two crosses of Saint James. At the very top, there are two busts of chained Moors. There is also a bust of Saint James. He holds a cross in his left hand and a sword in his right. An inscription says Fidei defensio, which means "Defense of the faith." At the bottom, another inscription says Caput Ordinis, meaning "Head of the Order." There are also freestanding crosses, a royal crown, knights, and more chained Moors.

Remains of the Old Fortress

Three towers from the old fortress of the Order of Santiago still stand. Their names are sometimes mixed up. But old records show them as: the Tower del Pontido, which was connected by a walkway to the Tower del Palomar. This tower was then linked by a drawbridge to a wall leading to the Albarrana tower. The exact locations of other towers are not known. They were taken down to build other parts of the church.

Archaeological Discoveries

Inside the current monastery, you can find other parts of the old fortress:

• A section of wall at the east end of the main front. This was part of a tower that stood above the old church.
• Another section of wall on the right side of the main entrance of the current church.
• The underground parts of the old monastery. These have arches in the second basement. There is also a pointed arch in the first basement.

See also

In Spanish: Monasterio de Uclés para niños