Ruins of San Domingos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ruins of San Domingos |
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| Native name Galician: Ruínas de San Domingos |
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| Location | Pontevedra, Galicia |
| Official name: Ruínas de San Domingos | |
| Type | Non-movable |
| Criteria | Monument |
| Designated | 1895 |
| Reference no. | RI-51-0000070 |
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The Ruins of San Domingos are what's left of an old convent in Pontevedra, a city in Galicia, Spain. In 1895, this site was officially recognized as a "Bien de Interés Cultural," which means it's a very important historical and cultural landmark.
Contents
History of the San Domingos Ruins
Building the Old Convent
The San Domingos convent is the oldest building connected to the Pontevedra Museum. Most of the original convent is gone now. What remains are the main apse, which is a special rounded part of the church, and a piece of the church's south wall. The entrance to the chapter house, where meetings were held, also remains.
The convent was started around the year 1282. However, the church building that we can still see today wasn't begun until 1383. Construction continued through the 1400s. The main apse is quite special because it has five smaller apses, which is rare for Gothic churches in Galicia.
Changes and Challenges (1836-1880)
In 1836, a law was passed that closed many convents, including San Domingos. On December 8, 1836, the convent was shut down. It was then given to a group in charge of taking over closed convents.
Later, in May 1840, the city council of Pontevedra took control of the building. Over the years, the old convent was used for different things. It was a women's prison for a while. It also served as a hospice, a place for people in need, until 1869. An infant school even used part of the building.
Despite these uses, the building slowly fell apart. By 1846, some of its stones were even used to pave streets! In 1864, a small chapel was torn down. Between 1869 and 1870, the top part of the tower was also removed.
By 1874, the city council wanted to tear down the rest of the building to make space for a fairground. They got permission, but only if they saved the old church part and other important pieces.
Saving a Historical Treasure (1880-1947)
In July 1880, there was a plan to completely demolish the church. But important people in Pontevedra, like José Casal y Lois, stepped in. They asked the governor to stop the demolition, and he did. However, the work continued anyway, causing more protests.
In 1886, another attempt was made to tear down the ruins. Again, many important people from Pontevedra, especially the Provincial Commission of Monuments, strongly opposed it. Their efforts saved the site from being destroyed.
Because of these efforts, the ruins were declared a National Monument on August 14, 1895. This meant the government would help protect and preserve them. Just one year before, in 1894, the Pontevedra Archaeological Society was founded. This group chose the San Domingos ruins as the future home for a new museum.
In 1903, as work began on an institute that used part of the ruins, the Archaeological Society asked for space to display their collections. They were given a room in 1905. Later, in 1945, this room was swapped for a small courtyard. Here, decorative arches from the old convent's chapter room were rebuilt. These arches had been donated by the family of Augusto González Besada. Part of the basement was also used to show ancient writings. All this work was finished in 1947.
Gallery
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See also
In Spanish: Ruinas de Santo Domingo para niños
- List of Bien de Interés Cultural in the Province of Pontevedra
- Gran Vía de Montero Ríos
