Colegio de Dominicos de Santo Tomás de Aquino, Dominican convent in Alcalá de Henares, Spain
The Colegio de Santo Tomás de Aquino is a Baroque Dominican convent in Alcalá de Henares built with stone and brick featuring a simple church with a barrel vault and austere lines. The complex displays the straightforward design typical of religious buildings from this era.
Founded in 1529 as a minor college of the University of Alcalá, the complex later served as military barracks and housed a men's prison until 1981. Multiple uses transformed the building throughout the centuries.
The college takes its name from Saint Thomas Aquinas, honoring a 1545 donation that established new buildings and a chapel on the site. Visitors can still sense how the spaces were organized for Dominican education and daily monastic life.
The site now functions as part of the Parador de Alcalá de Henares hotel, offering lodging within its historic walls since 2009. Visitors can explore the Baroque rooms or enjoy modern facilities including a spa and restaurant.
The complex spans a large area and blends original college elements with modern conveniences such as conference halls. Few visitors realize that the historic rooms have been fully restored as part of an upscale hotel, creating an intriguing mix of old and new.
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