Sant Agusti Convent

The 17th-century Convent of Sant Agusti, in the heart of Ciutadella, is still used as a residence for a community of nuns while also being a cultural focal point for the public at large because it houses the Diocesan Museum.

The Church of Socorro (Solace), alongside the cloister, is built in the Renaissance style, with one single nave and side chapels, covered by a barrel vault and a transept topped with a dome. The facade, defined by its two twin towers, reveals a late 18th-century gateway, with three gates opening onto a great atrium, decorated with the emblems of the Augustinian order and crowned by Our Lady of Perpetuo Socorro. It was heavily refurbished during that period, with the construction of the main reredoses, the organ and the interior decoration, which left the vaults, dome and walls covered with fresco murals.

The devastation suffered during the Civil War led to the destruction of the reredoses and the other liturgical furniture. Meanwhile, over the decades during which it was closed or used for a whole range of functions it suffered ever worsening deterioration, a process which has been arrested over the last 15 years by embarking on the costly and complex task of restoration and refurbishment now in progress. Nonetheless, only a few fragments remain. The Baroque organ was built in 1793 by the Catalan master craftsman Josep Casas i Soler, was destroyed in the Civil War, and recently rebuilt by the team of organ maker Albert Blancafort. The choir retains its beautiful walnut seating with marquetry ornamentation.

References:

• menorca.es

Address

Carrer del Socors 2, Ciutadella de Menorca, Spain

Details

Founded: 17th century
Category: Religious sites in Spain