Monastero di Santa Chiara, Renaissance monastery in Urbino, Italy.
Monastero di Santa Chiara is a Renaissance monastery in Urbino, central Italy, now used as an educational institution. The building features arched windows, symmetrical courtyards, and the balanced proportions typical of that architectural period.
The monastery was founded in the 15th century and became closely linked to the Montefeltro family, the ruling dukes of Urbino. In the 1480s, the architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini oversaw its reconstruction, giving the building the Renaissance form it still holds today.
The monastery served for generations as a refuge for women of the Montefeltro family, reflecting their religious devotion through its design. Today it operates as an educational institution, merging its original spiritual purpose with contemporary artistic studies.
Since the building now operates as a school, access to most areas requires prior arrangement and is not open to casual visitors at any time. Going outside of term time may improve the chances of seeing more of the building.
It was Elisabetta da Montefeltro who commissioned the rebuilding of the monastery after the death of her husband. She chose Francesco di Giorgio Martini for the work, the same architect who was shaping much of Urbino at that time.
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