Convent of Santa Maria de las Dueñas

Juan de Álava and Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón
mid 16th century




Dominican nuns founded this convent in 1419. However, the cloisters date from the 16th century and are thought by many experts to be the most beautiful in Salamanca.

The two-story cloister

These beautiful cloisters consist of two superimposed arcades surrounding an irregularly shaped pentagonal courtyard. The upper arcade is in actuality a colonnade with a straight lintel but the elaborate capitals give the effect of an arcade.
 

The lower arcade with columns on heavy plinths

 

The lower arcade with portrait medallions

 
 

The cloister from the second story

 

Carved capitals with grotesque figures--dragons and demons, animals, and distorted, writhing humans as well as disembodied heads

 


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© 2006 Mary Ann Sullivan. I have photographed (on site), scanned, and manipulated all the images on these pages. Please feel free to use them for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes.

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