Santiago de Alfeo University College, Renaissance residential college in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Santiago de Alfeo University College is a four-sided Renaissance building in Santiago de Compostela with a central courtyard. The structure contains about 24 rooms arranged around a harmonious cloister system that defines its layout.
Archbishop Alonso III de Fonseca founded the college in 1522 and hired architect Juan de Álava to design it. The building arose during a period of major architectural change in the region and reflects the Renaissance style emerging across Spain at that time.
The main facade displays sculptures of Santiago Alfeo, the Virgin of Pleasures, Saint Peter, Saint Paul, Saint Catherine, and Saint Ildefonso. These religious figures shape how the building looks and reflect the spiritual mission of the institution.
The college is open Tuesday through Saturday between 17:00 and 20:30, allowing visitors to explore the interior spaces, library, and gift shop. It helps to set aside adequate time for walking through the cloister and observing the architectural details.
The cloister holds many medallions with figurative reliefs that communicate messages about institutional hierarchy and family lineage. These small artworks tell stories about social structures and the importance of families in the early modern university world.
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