Convent of San Plácido, Renaissance convent in Universidad district, Madrid, Spain
The Convent of San Placido is a Renaissance-style religious building on Calle del Pez in Madrid, home to a Benedictine community. The structure follows classical design principles and is organized around the practical layout of a working convent.
The convent was founded in 1623 and quickly became connected to the Madrid nobility. It was torn down in 1903 and rebuilt in 1912 by architect Rafael Martinez Zapatero.
The convent holds paintings by Spanish artists from the 17th century, made to serve the daily devotion of the nuns rather than a public audience. Visitors can see these works in a space that still functions as a place of worship today.
The convent still functions as an active religious community, so access for visitors may be limited to certain areas or times. It is worth checking visiting arrangements in advance to avoid any inconvenience on the day.
In the 1620s, the Inquisition opened a formal investigation into the convent following reports of supernatural events among the nuns, making it one of the most talked-about religious scandals in 17th-century Madrid. The records of this case have survived and offer a rare look into convent life of that period.
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