Convento de San Esteban, Salamanca

The convent of San Esteban is a monastery with adjoining church in the old town of Salamanca (Spain). It is particularly known for the 30 -meter high and 14 meter wide golden altarpiece of the main altar and the ornamented facade.

History

The church was built in 1524, the cloister of the Kings was completed in 1544. The zehnbogige, Tuscan influenced portico of the monastery was completed in 1599. Although the facade of the church, the building was begun, this was not completed until 1610.

1627 a new chapter house was built, which was used until 1835 as such. The old chapter house from the 15th century to 1634 was used as such and then converted into the pantheon of theologians.

Eight years later ( 1635) the sacristy was completed. The altarpiece of the church was completed a year after the presentation of the martyrdom of St. Stephen by Claudio Coello 1693.

Architecture

Church

The architect Juan de la Alva drew up the plans for the church of San Esteban. The church is built in the shape of a Latin cross and only has a single nave. It is 84 meters long and 15.5 meters wide. The height of the nave is 27 meters and the dome up to 44 meters. The three-part, golden retable in the Baroque style of the main altar is by José de Churriguera. Many columns and countless leaf and grape ornaments decorate the reredos. The whole complex is decorated with a 1692 made ​​, 14 meters wide and 30 meters high representation of St. Stephen by Claudio Coello. The choir is on a structure at the other end of the nave. This choir level is about 10 feet above the ground, supported by a flat bow with a Steinballustrade, right next to the organ. The choir sat in chairs, the work of Alfonso Barbas and was able to read from great books, of which up to three could be set up in the middle of the benches. In this part of the church there is a fresco showing the Triumph of the Church, thanks to the Dominicans.

Monastery

The monastery holds, directly behind the entrance zehnbogigen a portico. It is the library. The bordering it cloister was designed by the architect Martin de Santiago. The inner part is Gothic, built and decorated the outer plataresk.

Pantheon of theologians

The adjoining the cloister chapter house is a pantheon of theologians resting place for famous theologians of the University of Salamanca since 1634. Here lie buried among other: Francisco de Vitoria, Domingo de Soto, Bartolomé de Medina and Mancio de Corpus Christi.

Escalera de Soto

The stairs of Domingo de Soto was built in 1553-1556, when the namesake was prior of the monastery. His motto of the Council of Trent Fides Viva decorated with a bas-relief on the wall of the staircase. The architect was Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón or Martin de Santiago. A multicolored succinct relief of Mary Magdalene is located at the top of the stairs.

Tourism

Monastery and church can be visited for admission.