Monasterio de Uclés
The Monasterio de Uclés is a monastery set on a hill above the small town of Uclés in Cuenca province, Spain, with construction begun in 1529 and carried out over more than two centuries in Renaissance and Baroque styles. The building follows a square plan, with a church on the north side, two cloisters with rounded arches, a monks' dining hall with a wooden beam ceiling, and a sacristy with Gothic arches.
Before the monastery was built, this hill held a Celtiberian fortress and then an Arab castle used for defense during the medieval period. After Christian forces took the site during the Reconquista, the Order of Santiago chose it for a new religious complex and began construction in 1529.
The monastery was the spiritual seat of the Order of Santiago for centuries, and its cloisters and main church are still used for religious services today. Visitors can walk through the prayer spaces and notice the carved coats of arms of the order on the walls and doorways.
Guided tours must be booked in advance, as the site cannot be visited without a reservation. The monastery sits on a hill at the edge of the village and can be reached on foot from the town center in a few minutes, though the walk up involves a short but noticeable slope.
The monastery is sometimes called the 'Escorial of La Mancha' because its layout and church facade closely mirror those of the famous royal complex near Madrid. Both buildings were shaped by the same historical period and share a symmetry that is easy to notice when standing in front of the main entrance.
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