Convento de Santa Cruz

The Convento de Santa Cruz is a 15th-century convent consisting of multiple structures organized around courtyards, creating a self-contained religious community. Its church interior displays painted retablos and decorative tilework that ornament the walls and surfaces.

This convent was established in 1435 on land that had previously contained Muslim buildings, marking a change in the site's religious purpose. Subsequent centuries brought additions and modifications, including the construction of an 18th-century novitiate building.

The convent's religious life has shaped how its spaces are used today, with the Poor Clares still maintaining a monastic presence that visitors can feel in the quiet courtyards. The decoration of the church, particularly the tiled surfaces and painted retablos, reflects the artistic traditions that mattered to those who commissioned and created them.

The convent is located in the San Pedro district and functions as an active home for the Poor Clares community that still resides there today. Visitors should be aware of limited visiting hours and respect the daily monastic schedule of the sisters.

The convent preserves original Muslim towers with defensive parapets that were incorporated into its structure, providing evidence of how builders reused and repurposed earlier constructions. These towers remain visible today and stand as physical reminders of the site's earlier history.