Convento de la Magdalena

Antequera, Spain

Convento de la Magdalena was a convent, now a hotel, situated to the southwest of the town of Antequera. The convent was established in 1570 by the merchant, Ildefonso Alvarez, who possessed an altarpiece of the Virgin Magdalena. Alvarez took refuge in the area's caves and lived like a hermit. In the following three years, he struggled to pay his debts and eventually attracted the attention of the Christian community who helped him. In 1585, construction started on a small chapel in the area.

In 1648 the place became renowned for the healing from the plague by Father Cardenas, a pastor of Seville who had journeyed to the little church. Fame and abundant alms sowed corruption among hermits. In 1685, the hermits were expelled by order of the Bishop of Málaga. The order of the Discalced Franciscans took over the management of the church in 1691 and began construction of the new convent. In 1761 the guardian of the convent was reported to be Fr. Juan Gomez. The convent was abandoned in the mid-19th century.

In 2009, the convent underwent a careful restoration and became a five star hotel that left many of the original features of the Franciscan convent. Many frescoes still remain on the arched ceilings and walls.

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Details

Founded: 1570
Category: Religious sites in Spain

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Nina Kite (9 months ago)
Being a 5 star hotel I'm looking for faults.... but I couldn't find any!! The staff were wonderful and helpful, bedding was comfy, everything works as it should.
Keith Stevenson (11 months ago)
If you are anywhere nearby, stay here. Great hotel, great spa, enjoyed the restaurant. Easy to understand their 5* rating.
The Saint 15 (11 months ago)
I must say that staying at this hotel was a great experience. Rooms and service were first class with the flavor of an old convent based on it's decor. Outside the city of Antequera among planted olive trees complementing the breathtaking scenery makes it a delight.
Rubén Cruz (11 months ago)
The most stunning views!!! Recently celebrated a destination wedding and I can't wait to return to the relaxing villa.
Sander Rozemeijer (2 years ago)
Fantastic luxury castle with good facilities like restaurant, swimming pool and gardens. The restaurant had good food and the view to outside was verry nice. Located in a quiet environment with a lot of nature and a golf resort. Breakfast served with attention for quality. Friendly staff. We were lucky to get an upgrade to a suite, this was a big and nice suite. Almost everything was perfect, except some possibilities to have a drink with a small bite in the bar.
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