Monastery of Santa Maria de la Piedad

The Monastery of Santa Maria de la Piedad is a Dominican convent in Casalarreina with a single-nave church containing connected chapels and ribbed vaults. A two-story cloister with Gothic pointed arches links together the different parts of the religious complex.

Construction of the monastery began in 1514 under the orders of Bishop Juan de Velasco with papal permission from Rome. The project took shape during the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella when Spain was invested in building new religious communities.

The monastery remains an active community where Dominican nuns live in contemplation today. The religious artworks and carefully designed interior spaces reflect how Spanish spirituality was expressed through architecture and decoration.

The monastery sits at Plaza de Santo Domingo 5 in the heart of Casalarreina and is straightforward to locate. The grounds are maintained by Dominican nuns who reside there as part of their religious community.

The grounds span roughly three hectares with enclosed gardens, a flowing stream, and a small hermitage for prayer tucked within. This quiet vegetated setting creates a peaceful retreat separate from the surrounding town.

Location: Casalarreina

Architectural style: Isabelline

GPS coordinates: 42.54699,-2.91344

Latest update: December 13, 2025 17:07