Monasterio de la Encarnación

Real Monasterio de la Encarnación

The Real Monasterio de la Encarnación, also known as the Royal Monastery of the Incarnation, is a significant convent located in Madrid, Spain. It belongs to the order of Recollet Augustines and was established to house women, predominantly from noble families. Its founding was an initiative of Queen Margaret of Austria, wife of King Philip III, intended to commemorate the expulsion of the Moriscos from Spain.

History and Construction

The impulse for the monastery's creation came from Queen Margaret, leading to the nuns sometimes being referred to as "las Margaritas." The queen enlisted Mother Mariana de San José, prioress of a discalced Augustinian convent in Valladolid, to lead the establishment, accompanied by other nuns. They were initially housed at the Convent of Santa Isabel while their new home was constructed. Generous donations from the king and queen, including precious jewels, supported the financing of the monastery. Architect and friar Alberto de la Madre de Dios designed and built the structure between 1611 and 1616. The monastery was strategically built adjacent to the Royal Alcázar, featuring a direct passageway for royal access. It was officially inaugurated on July 2, 1616, shortly after the queen's death.

Architectural and Artistic Significance

The façade of the Monasterio de la Encarnación presents a sober style that evokes the architectural principles of Juan de Herrera. The interior of the church underwent significant redecoration in the 18th century. The ceiling of the main chapel was adorned with frescoes by Francisco Bayeu, a prominent Spanish painter. The main altar features an Annunciation by Vincenzo Carducci, flanked by sculptures of Augustine of Hippo and his mother Saint Monica by the renowned sculptor Gregorio Fernández. The tabernacle was later completed by Ventura Rodríguez, and small statues of the Doctors of the Church and a bas-relief of the Savior were added by Isidro Carnicero.

The monastery's collection is further enriched by paintings and sculptures from various masters, including Luca Giordano, Juan van der Hamen, Pedro de Mena, José de Mora (represented by his Mater Dolorosa), and Gregorio Fernández again, with his striking depictions of the Dead Christ and Christ at the Column. The institution also holds relics, such as tubes containing the blood of St. Januarius and St. Pantaleon.

Later History and Public Access

During the reign of Charles IV, his prime minister, Manuel Godoy, was a regular attendee of daily mass at the monastery. The monastery also witnessed moments of political tension, as evidenced by a symbolic warning left during Joseph Bonaparte's entry into Madrid. In the 19th century, the composer Lorenzo Román Nielfa served as a professor of music at the convent. While belonging to an enclosed religious order, the Real Monasterio de la Encarnación was opened to the public in 1965 and is now administered by the Patrimonio Nacional, functioning in part as a museum.