Sacred Castle-Convent of Calatrava La Nueva

Phone: 926 693 119

Email: ayto-aldeadelrey@cim.es

Location

In the so-called "Cerro de Alacranejo".

Type of monument

Forts

History

The castle has its origins in the transfer of the Calatrava Order from the fortified city of Calatrava La Vieja, in Carrión de Calatrava, to this site, which took the name Calatrava La Nueva. This took place in 1217, after the Sierra Morena frontier line was consolidated on the Battle of Las Navas.

Calatrava La Nueva had its own Militia that came to rival that of the Crown, until the Catholic Monarchs annexed this and other masters of the Military Orders. The Calatrava Order occupied the castle until the end of the 18th century. In 1802, the convent-castle was destroyed by the damage suffered in the Lisbon earthquake, and the Order moved to the Jesuit Colegio Menor in Almagro.

In 1931 it was declared a Site of Special Cultural Interest as a Historical Monument.

Period

13th century.

How to get there

Road transport

The Sacred Castle-Convent, has recently been very well restored. It has large rooms with high ceilings, and two of its Parade Grounds and the Keep are still standing, encircled by three strong walls with access gates, the first two being perimeter walls. Over the centuries it has been the object of various additions and refurbishments, the most significant being in the era of the Catholic Monarchs and Felipe II.

The Church, at the North East end of the castle, notable for its military morphology, very appropriate to the enclosure. The facade is reinforced by four solid defensive towers; its narrow, pointed arch, windows, edged in brick, are like defensive embrasures and it is all crowned with battlements. Between the two “botareles” or central buttresses opens the pointed arched door decorated with lobes of red and white bricks, unmistakable mark of the order’s historic past links to Islam.

The most striking feature of the construction is the great rose window with twelve petals, built of volcanic rock in the era of the Catholic Monarchs, to give more light to the to the interior of the church, when it was no longer necessary to close the wall in defence. The glasswork depicts the mysteries of the Virgin.

The interior is a clear example of Cistercian architecture, displaying characteristics of gothic art, as well as some Romanesque and even Mudejar elements. It has three naves, and the central nave is wider than the lateral ones. They are separated by solid prismatic pillars, with medium sized terraced columns, typical of the early gothic, with unadorned bases and capitals, in accordance with the guidelines of the order; swallows-nest vaults, and chancel with three apses encased in the wall, where traces of the Mudejar decoration can still be seen.

Throughout its history it was enriched with paintings, altars and other extremely valuable artistic religious ornaments. It had a choir that occupied most of the central nave, with a dividing grill that separated the monks from the knights.

The right hand nave communicates with the Cloister by way of a grand and richly ornamented door. Various Chapels were incorporated on the left side, built by Masters and Great Commanders to house their tombs. Among these, the Chapel of Comendador García de Castrillo, the Capilla Dorada (Golden Chapel), and the Sacristy and Reliquary, and the Chapel of don Gutierre de Padilla or Great Chapel are particularly interesting.

The Oven was recently re-built, as well as the walls of the Cemetery, Cloister and the Chapterhouse; and the floors and walls of the Guest House were renovated.

Timetables

From Tuesday to Friday, 11am to 2pm and 5:30pm to 8:30pm.
Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 2pm and 5:30pm 8:30pm.