The Convent of San Clemente

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Type of monument

Religious Architecture

History

It became, thanks to the favours of the royals and noblemen, whose daughters entered the order, one of the largest and richest in properties and income in the city and the diocese. Of the original 12th century building, only the roof of the chapterhouse remains.


In the 18th century, after the restoration order given by Cardinal Lorenzana, it became once again a residence of the royal family, of the daughters of Prince Luis, beloved sisters of Cardinal Luis María de Bourbon and nieces of Carlos III.

The origin of marzipan in Toledo is attributed to the nuns of the convent of San Clemente; when the Moors were besieging the city at the beginning of the 13th century, hunger overtook the population and the nuns recurred to their pantry to alleviate the problem. The only products that they had in store were almonds and sugar, and using these materials they made a dough that, after baking, was given the name “pan de maza”.

Art style

Renaissance.

How to get there

Road transport

The convent has three cloisters, two of them Mudejar-Renaissance, by Nicolás de Vergara El Mozo, outstanding is the "Claustro de las Procesiones". In the refectory, a 13th century panelled ceiling with the heraldic decoration of Fernando III el Santo and 16th century tiles has recently been restored.

The retrochoir, decorated with tiles, is very interesting, with attractive wooden seating, the highlight being the abbatial chair, signed by Felipe de Vigarny.

The church and its portal, very Italianate, with Plateresque decoration, dates from the 16th century, being a novel structure in its time built by Alfonso Covarrubias, though it was restored at the end of the 18th century following an order by Cardinal Lorenzana.
In its current form, the church has a single nave with rib vaults.
Legend has it that the first Toledan marzipan was made in this convent and the nuns have recently begun to make this sweetmeat again.

The church has a single nave, divided into two sections, with star-shaped rib-vaults. The choir is located at the foot of the temple, with wooden choir stalls from the 15th century. The chapter house is attached to the Evangelist wall, with a flat panelled wooden ceiling, highly decorated in black, white and ochre. The refectory is made up of two very different areas, one square and with a rib vaulted ceiling, the other rectangular with well-worked polychrome wood.

The convent also has various courtyards, one called that of Las Procesiones, which gives access to the choir, church and chapter house, which is composed of two storeys, the lower with Tuscan columns on a stone plinth and the upper with the same type of pillars but with lintels. The other courtyard is that of the refectory, with similar characteristics as the foregoing.

Timetables

No visitors are allowed, but they do sell Toledan gastronomic specialities.