"San Juan de los Reyes" Top 5 Page for this destination Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes Tip by alucas

The convent church of San Juan de los Reyes was founded in 1476 by Ferdinand and Isabel who intended it as their last resting-place. The surrender of Granada in 1492 was so important that they changed their burial plans, and the Capilla Real in Granada became their mausoleum. In the meantime Juan Guas had almost completed his masterpiece, the church at Toledo.

There are four nave bays, but no side aisles, in common with other churches by Guas, and the crossing carries a lantern with windows. The piers are richly decorated with carved stone panels. The walls of the transepts each carry carved versions of the same coat of arms, Leon and Castile quartering Aragon, supported by eagles.

Photography is not permitted in the church, but the custodian told us to go ahead, and only enforced the rules when a guided tour came in.

Address: Calle Reyes Catolicos