Convento de las Anas, Baroque convent in Murcia, Spain.
Convento de las Anas is a baroque convent in Murcia built with a Latin cross floor plan, where a broad central nave is flanked by narrower side aisles. The church interior features geometric blue patterns that decorate the walls and give the space its distinctive visual character.
The convent was founded in 1490 when Dominican nuns arrived from Jaén and received land from a Cathedral dean to establish their community in Murcia. The baroque architecture visible today developed over centuries as the nuns expanded and rebuilt their buildings.
The convent is named after Saint Anne, mother of Mary, reflecting the devotion of the Dominican nuns who made their home here. The painted geometric patterns in blue throughout the interior show how the community expressed its faith through the careful decoration of sacred spaces.
Access is limited to the church section of the complex, which sits in central Murcia on Calle Santa Ana. The rest of the convent remains private, though the church itself is typically straightforward to visit and explore.
The blue wall patterns were originally made with lapis lazuli pigments, a precious material that reflects how valued this decoration was by the nuns. Such elaborate painting techniques were uncommon in convent spaces, making this one stand out among other Dominican cloisters.
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