Santa Paula Convent, Seville, Spain

Seville has many enclosed religious complexes, but few are accessible. This is one of them, a convent set up in 1475 and still home to 40 nuns. The public is welcome to enter through two different doors in the Calle Santa Paula. Knock on the brown one, marked number 11 to look at the convent museum. Steps lead to two galleries, crammed with religious paintings and artifacts. The windows of the second look onto the nuns' cloister. The nuns make a phenomenal range of marmalades and jams which visitors may purchase in a room near the exit.

Ring the bell by the brick doorway nearby to visit the convent church, reached by crossing a meditative garden. Its portal vividly combines Gothic arches, Mudejar brickwork, Renaissance medallion and ceramics by the Italian artist, Niculoso Pisano. Inside the nave has an elaborate wooden roof and there are some fine statues here of St John the Evangelist and St John the Baptist.

References:

andalucia.com

User Reviews

Paulajane Wood (8 months ago)
My new favourite place in Seville.Not just a place but a feeling,peace love and joy,thankyou dear nun ,whose name we did not get,for spending your time with us,thankyou fofletting us into your world x

Keith Amboya (12 months ago)
The sweetest hermana gave us a very well-educated tour of the museum objects! Very nice staff- if unsure just ask! The door seemed unsuspecting at a glance but just ring the doorbell

Jack Bacon (2 years ago)
Beautiful convent and art. Everybody we spoke to was really nice and the tocino de Cielo were delicious :)

Stephanie Comis (3 years ago)
We were so disappointed to not be let in.The website,the local tourist office, the guidebook and the note on the door outside said it would be open from 5. We walked for over an hour to find the Convent and were surprised and really disheartened to be told by the nun who opened the door, that no visit could take place even though we were well within the stated opening hours. No explanation ( or indeed apology) was given. We will not get another chance to see the Convent sadly.Completely understand if circumstances meant not open that day but if you have a website the information should reflect this .

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