Convent of Saint Joseph

The Convent of Saint Joseph is a Renaissance-era religious complex in Ocaña featuring a single-nave church with a square altar space. The crossing is surmounted by a hemispherical dome, and barrel vaults with lunettes form the main ceiling structure.

María de Bazán founded the convent on November 3, 1595, with authorization from Cardinal Alberto of Austria and local government approval. It emerged during a period of significant religious building in central Spain.

The remains of poet Alonso de Ercilla were originally interred in this convent until their transfer to Madrid's Royal Basilica of San Francisco el Grande in 1869.

The courtyard sits above a functional cistern that continues supplying water after centuries of use. Visitors can observe how early inhabitants engineered practical water management systems within the structure.

The choir carved from walnut wood during 1573 displays symbolic bas-reliefs similar to those in Spanish cathedrals. This wooden fixture preserves craftsmanship details normally found only at more prominent religious sites.

Location: Ocaña

GPS coordinates: 39.95694,-3.49667

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:08